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Hey missionary family! This podcast episode is #225 - Applying the Rule of Thirds. In this episode, I'm sharing something new I've been thinking about called the Rule of Thirds—and how it applies to missionary life, post-mission life, and really, all of our human experience. You've heard me talk before about the 50/50 rule—how life and missions are made up of both joy and struggle—but this time, I'm introducing a new way to see it: the top third, the bottom third, and the middle third. That middle third—the “meh,” in-between space—might not feel exciting, but it's actually where we build consistency, clarity, and growth. Whether you're serving a mission, preparing to go, or finding your rhythm after coming home, learning to value this neutral space can help you find balance, peace, and stability through life's roller coaster of highs and lows. I'll also explain how this idea came to me at a business conference, why it reminded me of photography composition and music triads, and how seeing life in thirds can bring more compassion, grounding, and gratitude to your missionary journey—and beyond. As always, if you found this episode helpful, I want to invite you to subscribe if you aren't already, share this episode with your friends and missionaries you know, and write a review. I know this work will help LDS missionaries around the world and it would mean so much to me if you did. Until next week my friends. Website | Instagram | Facebook Get the Full Show Notes and Text/PDF Transcripts: HERE Free PDF Download: Podcast Roadmap Free PDF Download: Preparing Missionary Cheat Sheet Free Training for Preparing Missionaries: Change Your Mission with this One Tool RM Transition Free Video Series: 3 Tools to Help RMs in Their Transition Home Free Guide: 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary Schedule a Free Strategy Call: Click Here
In today's devotional, Dr. Michael A. Youssef digs into John's call to the family of God to abide in Truth.If you would like more insight into today's devotional topic, listen to Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Life at Its Best, Part 2: LISTEN NOWFOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNTFor those who feel battle-worn—disheartened by society's moral decline, burdened for their children and grandchildren, weary from fighting the same battles—Dr. Michael A. Youssef's NEW book Winning the Invisible Waroffers timely hope. Speaking directly to those wondering if evil is winning, Dr. Youssef assures us although the war isn't over, victory is already secured in Christ. With Biblical clarity and pastoral compassion, he reminds readers that we can stand strong—not in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. Pre-order your copy today for your gift of any amount!*Offer valid in US, UK, and Canada through November 10, 2025.
Jason Droege is the CEO of Scale AI, a company that provides foundational training data to every major AI lab. He previously co-founded Scour with Travis Kalanick and built Uber Eats from idea to $20 billion in revenue. In this conversation, Jason shares lessons from getting sued for $250 billion, discovering restaurant economics by weighing sandwich ingredients, and over 25 years of launching transformative technology businesses.What you'll learn:What actually happened with Meta's $14 billion investment in Scale AIWhy AI models still need human experts to improve, and how that relationship is evolvingHow AI models learn from experts building websites and debugging codeThe business lessons from building Uber Eats from zero to $20 billionWhy most enterprise data is useless for AI models todayWhy urgent daily problems beat super-valuable occasional problems when building productsHow to think independently when building new products and businesses—Brought to you by:Merge—The fastest way to ship 220+ integrations: http://merge.dev/lennyFigma Make—A prompt-to-code tool for making ideas real: https://www.figma.com/lenny/Mercury—The art of simplified finances: https://mercury.com/—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/first-interview-with-scale-ais-ceo-jason-droege—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/174979621/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Jason Droege:• X: https://x.com/jdroege• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondroege/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Jason Droege(06:01) Jason's early career and lessons learned(10:27) The current state of Scale AI(12:37) The shift to expert data labeling(17:02) Challenges and strategies in finding experts(18:48) Reinforcement learning and AI environments(28:18) The future of AI and human involvement(31:21) The role of evals(35:25) What AI models will look like in the next few years(41:43) Building Uber Eats and understanding customer needs(48:19) The importance of independent thinking(50:45) Setting high standards for new businesses(53:03) Exploring and selecting business ideas(57:07) The McDonald's story(01:00:13) The role of gross margins in business feasibility(01:04:49) Why Jason says, “Not losing is a precursor to winning”(01:09:12) Hiring and building teams(01:12:11) AI corner(01:14:47) Lightning round and final thoughts—Referenced:• Travis Kalanick on X: https://x.com/travisk• Scour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scour_Inc.• Scale: https://scale.com/• Alexandr Wang on X: https://x.com/alexandr_wang• Why experts writing AI evals is creating the fastest-growing companies in history | Brendan Foody (CEO of Mercor): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/experts-writing-ai-evals-brendan-foody• Brendan Foody's post on X about knowledge work changing: https://x.com/BrendanFoody/status/1970163503702188048• MIT Finds 95% of GenAI Pilots Fail Because Companies Avoid Friction: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonsnyder/2025/08/26/mit-finds-95-of-genai-pilots-fail-because-companies-avoid-friction/• Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/• Stephen Chau on X: https://x.com/thestephenchau• a16z Podcast: https://a16z.com/podcasts/a16z-podcast/• F1: The Movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16311594/• V03: https://v03ai.com/• Careers at Scale: https://scale.com/careers—Recommended books:• The Selfish Gene: https://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Gene-Anniversary-Introduction/dp/0199291152• The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Traveled-Timeless-Traditional/dp/0743243153/• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don't: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996• Thinking, Fast and Slow: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555/—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com
The Night Is Normal: A Conversation with Dr. Alicia Britt Chole – Hebrews 11In this powerful episode of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane sit down with Dr. Alicia Britt Chole, author of The Night Is Normal, to explore the timeless truths of Hebrews 11. Together, they discuss what it means to live by faith when life feels dark or uncertain and how to wait well when God's promises seem distant. Dr. Chole shares profound insights on spiritual formation, trust, and finding God's presence in seasons of waiting and silence. This conversation will renew your hope and deepen your understanding of what real, enduring faith looks like.____________________________________Connect with Jamie:Website: www.jamieklusacek.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacekConnect with Jane:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliamsConnect with Dr. Alicia Britt Chole:Website: www.aliciachole.com____________________________________ Get Jamie's Newest Book:Living Loved: An 8-week Journey to Living Fully Loved
Discover the true secret to inner peace and fulfillment in this empowering talk by Rev. Lee Wolak, “Do Your Best, Then Let It Rest.” Learn how to live without regret by giving your full attention, heart, and effort to each moment—and then letting go. Rev. Lee shares how presence, not perfection, is the real key to happiness, balance, and spiritual growth. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
Today, I interview Catherine G. Lucas who opens up about losing her voice in the midst of a painful breakdown. In her late teens she was already standing on stage for public speaking competitions, but by the time her parents divorced during her university years, the weight of family wounds caught up with her. Instead of enjoying summer with friends, she found herself in an acute psychiatric ward, her world shattered and her voice silenced.Her breakthrough came much later, when she discovered that what had been called a breakdown could also be seen as an awakening. It took years of reframing and deep inner work to see her experience not as illness, but as a turning point with the potential for healing.Through mindfulness, patient advocacy, and writing her first book, In Case of Spiritual Emergency, Catherine began to speak from her whole self rather than hide in shame. Today she helps others step into their deeper calling, showing that finding your voice is not about perfection but about expressing the truth of who you are in a way that heals and uplifts.__________________Catherine G. Lucas is the author of four books on how to move successfully through crisis and harness the transformational power it holds. A former university professor, Catherine left her academic career behind to step into her soul's deeper calling, following a profound crisis of awakening.She went on to set up a UK charity and now helps people step into their deeper calling. Her media appearances include BBC Radio 4 and TimeWarner TV, and she regularly speaks internationally. More recently, Catherine has convened the highly acclaimed Birth the New Earth summit.__________________Find Catherine here:https://www.youtube.com/user/CatherineGLucashttps://www.catherine-g-lucas.com/https://www.co-creatingourfuture.world/https://www.co-creatingourfuture.world/free-gift-download/Support the showI'm Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com.
The Soul Knows: Thinking Can't Do What Art Can w/ Devorah Hake BrinckerhoffProfessional Artist and creator of Soul Portraits, a unique process that guides people through healing the past, identity shifts, and spiritual growth using intuitive creativityDevorah Hake Brinckerhoff is a professional artist of over 30 years whose work has been shown in galleries across the United States and is held in private collections across the world. As a way to process her own trauma, she created Soul Portraits—a mixed-media creative healing practice that uses personal materials like letters, photographs, and journal pages as a way to transform and heal past wounds. Working from her Oregon studio, she creates commissioned Soul Portraits and also teaches others the process through online and in-person coaching and workshops. Guiding people in accessing their inner creativity, her approach helps people transform traumatic experiences, release old stories, and remember who they are beneath conditioning and performance.Links:https://soulportrait.art/innervoice/https://www.instagram.com/devorahbrinckerhoffTags:Alternative Healing Techniques,Artist,Conscious Living,Creativity,Self-Discovery,Self-Love,Spiritual Growth,Transformation,Trauma Recovery,Women Empowerment,Live Video Podcast Interview,PodcastSupport PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page
What if your resolutions didn't start in January, right after the hectic pace of the holidays winds down, but instead began when nature itself invites you to pause, reflect, and reset?In this heartfelt and grounding conversation, Nichole Bigley and Jesse Keene present Octoberlutions — a mindful practice of setting intentions in alignment with the rhythms of nature and your soul.Together they discuss:Why so many New Year's resolutions fail.How to approach goals differently.How fall's energy of reflection and release can guide your next chapter.The spiritual and biological shifts that occur as daylight changes and why this matters.Practical ways to create meaningful, soul-aligned intentions before the year closes.How to integrate spiritual living and “slow living” into everyday life.Nichole also shares insights from her recent return from Egypt and how her guides inspired her to embrace this new way of living — one grounded in presence, purpose, and natural cycles.Join the Psychic Club community as they take part in the first collective Octoberlutions practice this season and prepare for what's next in 2026. To do so go to apsychicsstory.com/membership.To learn more or book an appointment with Jesse visit keeneinsight.co or follow him on Instagram at @keene_insight. Jesse is offering a 20% discount on coaching packages for A Psychic's Story Listeners so be sure to mention this when you schedule your free discovery call.To connect with Nichole or schedule a 1:1 with her head to apsychicsstory.com.If you'd like to further support the podcast, please subscribe to it and/or:FOLLOW @apsychicsstory on Instagram. BOOK a session with Nichole.SIGN-UP to the newsletter for updates.JOIN Patreon for exclusive, ad-free content. BECOME A MEMBER of The Psychic Club.This podcast is intended to inspire you on your personal journey to inner peace. The podcast host, co-hosts or guests are not psychologists or medical doctors and do not offer any professional health or medical advice. If you are suffering from any psychological or medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified health professional. Support the show
This week's episode is coming to you straight from the hospital with my child. The sound might be different, but the message is the same: God is faithful—even here.In today's short reflection, I share how quickly life shifted for our family, what God has been doing in the middle of the chaos, and how faith deepens in hard seasons of motherhood. You'll hear real stories of His provision—moved appointments, kind helpers, even hospital laundry—and the reminder that trusting God during hardship and surrendering control are powerful ways to find peace in chaos.If you've been walking a hallway of your own—whether it's fear, waiting, or uncertainty—this short encouragement for overwhelmed moms will help you pause, breathe, and remember that God's goodness and faithfulness are steady, even when life feels unpredictable.
In this episode, discover how a simple channeled process from Amy Jo Ellis is helping thousands heal relationships, resolve conflicts, and find peace at the soul level.What if you could resolve years of family conflict with just one sentence? In this episode of The Skeptic Metaphysicians, Will and Karen sit down with Amy Jo Ellis, the singer-songwriter turned spiritual medium who channeled a revolutionary healing process called The Court of Atonement. Born from a heartfelt plea to reunite her husband with his estranged siblings, Amy Jo received guidance from her spirit team that led to the creation of a simple but powerful one-paragraph process. To her surprise, it worked, and within weeks, long-lost family members were reconnecting. Since then, thousands worldwide have used the Court of Atonement to resolve conflicts, heal old wounds, and transform their lives at the soul level. From viral eBooks to endorsements by renowned healers like Raymon Grace, Amy Jo's channeled modality has spread across the globe, proving that healing doesn't always require years of therapy...sometimes it just takes aligning with your higher self. In This Episode, You'll Discover:The origin story of the Court of Atonement and how Amy Jo first channeled itWhy this process works at the soul level, beyond time and spaceStep-by-step guidance to try it for yourself in just a few minutesIncredible real-life stories of healing, reconciliation, and transformationHow to use the Court of Atonement for family drama, workplace conflicts, and even global challengesWhy Amy Jo believes healthy skepticism is essential in channeling and spiritualityThe surprising role of names and identity in spiritual healingAbout Amy Jo Ellis Amy Jo Ellis began her spiritual journey as a singer-songwriter, performing at events around the world and even moving the Dalai Lama to tears with her music. In 2013, her path shifted dramatically when she channeled the Court of Atonement, a process that helps souls resolve conflicts and restore peace.What started as a $5 eBook quickly went viral, translated into multiple languages, and embraced by healers and spiritual seekers globally. Today, Amy Jo teaches classes, leads a thriving online community, and continues to share this transformative process with love, humor, and grounded wisdom. Learn more at: courtofatonement.com Key Topics CoveredSpiritual Awakening & Soul-Level HealingConflict Resolution Beyond Time & SpaceFamily Healing & Generational TraumaMysticism & Channeled WisdomEnergy Healing and Consciousness ExpansionThe Power of Names in Spiritual Alignment
In this inspiring talk, Rev Lee Wolak shares a powerful message about how to break free from feeling stuck and start moving forward in life. When we stop resisting change and open our minds to new possibilities, life begins to unfold with ease and purpose. Learn how awareness, acceptance, and trust can transform frustration into flow. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
The story of the prodigal son is more than a parable, it is a mirror for our lives and a blueprint for redemption. In this episode, we explore the scandal of rebellion, the shock of forgiveness, and the love that redefines identity, together with Robby D'Angelo. We discuss surrender, father wounds, and the hope of unconditional love that still transforms lives today. Listen now and discover how this story might reshape your own journey. Key Takeaways To Listen ForWhy the prodigal's shocking request would have stunned Jesus' audienceRepentance vs. regret, Why surrender is the key to restorationHow the father's public self-humbling became an act of radical loveThe “other brother” trap of resentment and works-based identityHow father wounds and cultural portrayals distort our view of God's loveAbout Robby D'AngeloRobby is a speaker, author, and coach passionate about helping people rediscover their true identity and purpose through faith, community, and transformation. Drawing from his own “prodigal” journey, he speaks candidly about repentance, surrender, and the healing power of unconditional love. Robby works with men, young leaders, and business owners to navigate life's challenges, form authentic communities, and build lives that bear lasting fruit.Connect with RobbyWebsite: robby d'angelo LinkedIn: Robby D'Angelo MBA Connect With UsMaster your context with real results leadership training!To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate's team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.Follow Dr. Nate on His Social MediaLinkedIn: Nate Salah, Ph.DInstagram: @natesalah Facebook: Nate SalahTikTok: @drnatesalahClubhouse: @natesalah
Mind Love • Modern Mindfulness to Think, Feel, and Live Well
In this episode, you'll discover:Why your body rebels when you're living someone else's scriptThe third option between toxic masculinity and invisible masculinityHow real masculine power actually improves intimate relationshipsWhat if the price of being the "good guy" is losing yourself completely?I'm so tired of hearing women complain about where all the good men are. You know what I think? They're out there. They're just so busy trying not to be toxic that they've made themselves invisible. We've swung from one extreme to another. Now instead of dealing with assholes, we're dating ghosts.You've got two terrible options in the dating world. Door number one: the obvious red flags who think emotions are for weaklings and leadership means being the loudest jackass in the room. Door number two: guys who are so terrified of taking up space that there's nothing actually there. Sure, they're nice. Sure, they're safe. But they're also the type to suggest going Dutch on the first date because making any kind of move feels too risky.Men are killing themselves at three times the rate of women, but they won't ask for help. And honestly? I get it. The message they're getting is confusing as hell. Be vulnerable but not weak. Be strong but not aggressive. Lead but don't be controlling. No wonder they're paralyzed.The thing is, we're all paying for this mess. When the men in our lives are walking around dead inside, our relationships suffer. Our kids learn that strength means shutting down. Everyone loses when half the population is too scared to show up authentically.Carl Jung wrote about the wounded healer. The person whose deepest pain becomes their greatest gift. A lot of men have learned to be incredibly sensitive to everyone else's feelings because they've completely numbed their own. They'll bend over backwards to make you happy while slowly suffocating inside.Today our guest is Isaac Wathen, a men's coach who helps guys move from people-pleasing to actual leadership. After his own health crisis forced him to face how disconnected he'd become, Isaac figured out how to reclaim masculine power without becoming a total dick about it.Links from the episode:Show Notes: mindlove.com/422Join the Mind Love CollectiveSign up for The Morning Mind Love for short daily notes to wake up inspiredSupport Mind Love SponsorsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 270: How to Become the Main Character in Your Own Life | You don't have to keep living a storyline written by old beliefs, family expectations, or past relationships. In this empowering, free-flowing episode, Shayla invites you to step into authorship of your own life and claim the starring role you were always meant to play.Building on recent episodes like Anchor into Abundance, The Power of a Bliss List, and The Subtle Art of Staying in the Flow, Shayla shares how to recognize hidden narratives, trust divine timing, and welcome plot twists as part of your masterpiece. You'll hear personal stories, journaling insights, and practical ways to embody “main character energy” every day, without forcing or micromanaging the process.If you're ready to stop waiting for permission and start living your true story with confidence, presence, and joy, this episode will help you rewrite the script and shine as the lead in your own life.✨ For more tools to deepen your alignment, visit activatealignexpand.com✨ For exclusive bonus episodes and deeper chats with me, join my Patreon!Connect with Shayla✨ Aligned Access: Bonus Episodes & Exclusive Content on PatreonActivate Align Expand Guided Journal & PlannerActivate Align Expand ProgramActivate Align Expand Affirmation DeckInstagram: @shaylaquinn YouTube: www.youtube.com/shaylaquinn TikTok: @shayla.quinn Website: www.shaylaquinn.com Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/shaylaquinn Learn more about TYIL Program
“That is why the Lord says, ‘Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.' Return to the Lord for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.” Joel 2:12-13The book of Joel, the second of the minor prophets, is such a beautiful book. It's not long, only three chapters, but packs quite a spiritual punch. It tells of a locust swarm. It tells of a call to repentance and what it means to rejoice in the Lord. It tells of the promise of the Spirit of the Lord. It tells of God's judgment against enemy nations and blessings for God's people. Joel is surely a book that, even though it might not be the most taught-through, has a lot of recognizable truths. To help us navigate the book of Joel is Dr. David Baker. David is Professor of Old Testament at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of a number of commentaries including one on Joel. Doable Discipleship is a Saddleback Church podcast produced and hosted by Jason Wieland. It premiered in 2017 and now offers more than 400 episodes. Episodes release every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app and on the Saddleback Church YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/saddleback).Resources Related to This Episode:https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Obadiah-Malachi-Application-Commentary/dp/0310207231Subscribe to the Doable Discipleship podcast at Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/doable-discipleship/id1240966935) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zc9nuwQZOLadbFCZCmZ1V)Related Doable Discipleship Episodes: Navigating the Bible: Hosea - https://youtu.be/nWZ4TuAUSRQNavigating the Bible: Daniel - https://youtu.be/bnQ-PioWxfgNavigating the Bible: Ezekiel - https://youtu.be/hlg6gBYxqsgNavigating the Bible: Lamentations - https://youtu.be/6rrizlXeYXENavigating the Bible: Jeremiah - https://youtu.be/lXPjWl8PdRkNavigating the Bible: Isaiah - https://youtu.be/NZJLaPkgEgsNavigating the Bible: Song of Songs - https://youtu.be/Sg0CYlNBVMgNavigating the Bible: Ecclesiastes - https://youtu.be/-Wr7LCh8F9ENavigating the Bible: Proverbs - https://youtu.be/DytRT5AsZg8Navigating the Bible: Psalms - https://youtu.be/oZeesooAYUINavigating the Bible: Job - https://youtu.be/14jaf2T1eCQNavigating the Bible: Esther - https://youtu.be/7RZ7ATWQZucNavigating the Bible: Nehemiah - https://youtu.be/Gok4WDgwn5INavigating the Bible: Ezra - https://youtu.be/aBC0nEjYeyoNavigating the Bible: 2 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/OG3rHTgMgEINavigating the Bible: 1 Chronicles - https://youtu.be/lQ_Qc4zbfgANavigating the Bible: 2 Kings - https://youtu.be/04q9gDhBKTkNavigating the Bible: 1 Kings - https://youtu.be/aS-KoeQXl2kNavigating the Bible: 2 Samuel - https://youtu.be/ZbpafGgOW7cNavigating the Bible: 1 Samuel - https://youtu.be/lY8wPElSFMYNavigating the Bible: Rute - https://youtu.be/YaH-t-ZzTaMNavigating the Bible: Judges - https://youtu.be/qNGcOf2o0NUNavigating the Bible: Joshua - https://youtu.be/hF28aThBtFsNavigating the Bible: Deuteronomy - https://youtu.be/HzmNgPOM4zUNavigating the Bible: Numbers - https://youtu.be/H1HO6V9HDxsNavigating the Bible: Leviticus - https://youtu.be/08RhDCXYex4Navigating the Bible: Exodus - https://youtu.be/NB9UTpS1F3MNavigating the Bible: Genesis - https://youtu.be/ddhjMfOoasAInspiring Dreams by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoonMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this powerful talk, Rev. Lee Wolak explores why being honest with yourself is one of the most transformative spiritual practices you can ever embrace. True growth begins when you stop pretending and start seeing life clearly. Honesty isn't harsh; it's liberating. Learn how self-awareness, authenticity, and inner truth dissolve confusion and open the door to peace, freedom, and personal power. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/ No More Pretending
Ep 45 - Series: Identity Unlocked - Pt 1About This Series: This is Part 1 of our "Identity Unlocked" series. Over the next few episodes, we'll dive deep into what sonship really means, how to walk in it daily, and how to recognize when you're slipping back into orphan or slave thinking.About This Episode: Most Christians know the phrase "identity in Christ," but few actually walk in it. If you've been stuck in the same patterns of behavior despite trying everything to change, the problem isn't your effort—it's your identity.In this episode, we expose the two false identities that war against believers: the orphan mindset and the slave mindset. Using the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, we reveal how these hidden operating systems drive your decisions, sabotage your blessings, and keep you from living in the freedom Christ died to give you.You'll discover: ✓ Why behavior modification never works without identity transformation ✓ The signs you're living with an orphan or slave mindset ✓ How these false identities make you forfeit your God-given inheritance ✓ What it truly means to be a son or daughter of God ✓ How to break free from religious performance and strivingThis isn't about trying harder—it's about believing who God says you are.Turn this episode into real change: The Kingdom Shift newsletter gives you one specific way to apply this week's Kingdom truth. Weekly delivery. 4-minute read. One simple action step included. Join at https://tekoaproject.com/newsletter/Episode Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction: The Identity Crisis No One Talks About1:06 - Why Identity Drives Every Decision You Make6:35 - What Is Identity? Your Internal Operating System12:17 - The Two False Identities Warring Against Believers18:02 - The Orphan Mindset: Never Feeling Worthy of Love30:47 - Signs You're Living with an Orphan Spirit42:30 - The Slave Mindset: Trying to Earn God's Love54:04 - Romans 8: You Have NOT Received a Spirit of Slavery1:00:42 - The Hidden Cost of Living in the Wrong Identity1:05:43 - The Father Will Never Validate Your Lies
As Christians, we're defined not by our gifts, but by the fruit of the Spirit we display. Today, Joyce explains the difference and what Scripture says about the essential character traits of every believer.
In this deeply transformative episode of The Unapologetic Man Podcast, host Mark Sing breaks down why learning to love yourself again isn't just about inner peace—it's the foundation of real confidence and attraction. Drawing on spiritual philosophy, psychology, and real-life coaching insights, Mark reveals how negative self-talk, old wounds, and other people's judgments have shaped the way you see yourself—and why it's time to drop that frame and reclaim your power. This episode guides you through practical mindset shifts, compassion exercises, and even a mirror challenge that will help you reconnect with the powerful soul you've always been. Key Takeaways: - Why self-hatred is “other people's programming” that you've been printing on repeat. - How remembering your childhood innocence reveals the truth of who you are. - The spiritual purpose of forgetting who you are—and the power of waking back up. - Why women are drawn to men who unapologetically love themselves. - A mirror exercise to build instant self-respect and break negative self-talk. Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] – Episode intro and preview [00:01:18] – The purpose of life [00:03:29] – Love yourself in spite of your flaws [00:04:56] – How childhood experiences planted the seeds of self-hate [00:06:09] – We're here to overcome the world [00:08:16] – Near death experiences [00:10:10] – Why you need to love yourself [00:12:20] – You've bought into other peoples frame [00:13:45] – You are a powerful creator: shifting belief systems [00:16:21] – You deserve love, stop mistreating yourself [00:19:13] – How NLP can help remove your negative belief systems [00:20:40] – Final thoughts and invitation to coaching Connect With Mark: Apply for Mark's 3-Month Coaching Program: https://coachmarksing.com/coaching/ Check Out The Perks Program: https://coachmarksing.com/perks/ Email: CoachMarkSing@Gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachmarksing/ Grab Mark's Free Program: The Approach Formula - https://www.CoachMarkSing.com/The-Approach-Formula About The Unapologetic Man Podcast The Unapologetic Man Podcast is your resource for mastering dating, attraction, and relationships from a confident, masculine perspective. Hosted by Mark Sing, this podcast gives men the tools and mindset shifts needed to succeed in their dating lives and build lasting, high-value relationships. #DatingAdvice #SelfLove #ConfidenceForMen #Masculinity #Attraction #HighValueMan #SelfRespect #HealingJourney #MindsetShift #LoveYourself
This week I am blessed to be talking to Kathryn Krick about the intersection of faith and business, and the importance of purpose-driven leadership. Kathryn shares her journey from aspiring actress to pastor, highlighting the transformative power of surrendering personal ambitions to align with divine purpose. We discuss the significance of patience, the role of relationships in spiritual growth, and the necessity of humility in leadership. I want this episode to encourage you to discern your motivations, embrace God's timing, and recognize the impact of your thoughts and words on your journey.Find Kathryn Krick:Instagram5F ChurchShopifyUpgrade your business with a $1/month trial of Shopify. Head to shopify.com/levelup today.Links & resources:To follow more info about the podcast@levelup.debbienealCheck out my personal instagram account@debbie_neal
The Truth About Empaths, Childhood Trauma, and Shadow Work Are empaths born—or made? In this eye-opening episode, Lisa A. Romano, Breakthrough Life Coach and bestselling author, explores the origin of empathic sensitivity and its powerful connection to childhood trauma, emotional wounding, and spiritual purpose. Some empaths are created through painful early experiences—rejection, abandonment, emotional neglect, and feeling unseen. These wounds condition the developing brain into hypervigilance, keeping the child's psyche locked in "scanning mode." When a child is forced to tune into the emotions and behavior of others to feel safe, they become disconnected from their true self—and this is the breeding ground for codependency. Other empaths are born, arriving with a spiritual assignment. Their nervous systems and emotional bodies are designed to feel what others suppress. Often, these empathic souls absorb the denied pain of their caregivers—especially unhealed maternal figures. Over time, these empaths become sensitive not just to individual pain, but to the collective suffering that society ignores. But without proper tools, empaths can become emotionally capsized, overwhelmed by the very gift they were meant to use consciously. That's why Lisa teaches empaths how to use symbols, metaphors, and boundaries to reframe their experience, and to reclaim the connection to self that trauma stole. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who: Feels deeply affected by other people's moods and energies Grew up walking on emotional eggshells Struggles with codependency, people-pleasing, or emotional burnout Wants to understand the true purpose behind their empathic gifts You'll also learn why many empaths feel called to “fix” or “rescue” others—and why this often stems from unresolved inner child wounds, not divine purpose. Healing begins when we stop absorbing and start integrating. Lisa shares why true transformation for empaths lies in shadow work, conscious integration, and elevating the nervous system. Those brave enough to face their own shadows don't just heal themselves—they become vessels for generational healing. ✨ Pro tip: You may want to listen to this episode more than once. It's packed with golden nuggets that could change your life. Begin Your Healing Journey: Lisa introduces her signature 12 Week Breakthrough Method—a trauma-informed, neuroscience-based coaching program created specifically for adult children of narcissistic, neglectful, or emotionally immature caregivers. Inside the program, you'll be guided through: Brain retraining techniques rooted in neuroscience Inner child healing and self-concept reorganization Neuroscience Backed Journaling prompts and assessments to increase self-awareness Tools to stop subconscious self-abandonment and start living from your true self Embrace shadow work from a higher state of consciousness to experience integration This method has helped thousands heal from complex trauma and break toxic generational patterns, with tools to rewire limiting beliefs and build authentic self-worth.
Manifestation isn't broken, you just need better tools.In this episode, Mia Magik joins me to flip the script on everything you think you know about creating the life you want. Forget the vision boards for a second. Mia's approach is rooted in healing, not just hoping. She explains why manifesting love starts with examining where you're being unloving, and why calling in abundance means looking at your scarcity patterns.We discuss the physical toll of consuming true crime and drama-filled content, the proven science of water holding intention, and simple kitchen rituals that turn your daily routine into a manifestation practice. Mia also opens up about her own journey through relationship struggles, self-betrayal, and finding her way back to her power through some seriously uncomfortable inner work.This conversation touches on the Sacred Rage Ritual, why women's anger is revolutionary, and Mia's current explorations with Tantra as a tool for understanding power, surrender, and healing. Whether you're new to manifestation or your practice has gone stale, this episode offers practical wisdom you can use today.Connect with Mia: https://miamagik.com/Mia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miamagik/Link to sign up for Mia's Retreats: https://miamagik.com/2025retreatrooms/Link to purchase Mia's book: IntuWitchinConnect with Sabrina:https://www.instagram.com/Sabrina_Soto/www.SabrinaSoto.com
Untwist Me: Faith, Healing & Emotional Freedom with Elena Huggins What if faith could do more than just comfort you—it could actually liberate you from anxiety, trauma, and emotional pain? This week on the Natalie Tysdal Podcast, I'm joined by author and pastoral care leader Elena Huggins, whose life journey will inspire anyone struggling with mental or emotional health. Drawing from her work with trauma victims, her own path through PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and her deep-rooted faith, Elena shares practical and spiritual "life hacks" for true healing. Elena's raw and relatable story uncovers the power of combining therapy, neuroscience, and the supernatural element of faith. She reveals how inviting God into your darkest moments can be a game changer—not just for survival, but for genuine liberation. From recognizing harmful thought patterns to specific steps you can take today, this episode is packed with hope and actionable wisdom. Chapters: 00:00 – Meet Elena Huggins 01:29 – Mind, body, and spirit connection 02:34 – Growing up with confusion about faith 06:28 – Facing trauma and marriage challenges 10:31 – Healing outside of God vs. seeking faith 13:31 – Steps toward healing and freedom 16:39 – Real-life examples of spiritual insight 20:12 – The role of busyness and distraction 24:48 – Honest self-reflection and facing trauma 28:53 – Creating your personal healing list 32:02 – Parenting, healthy environments & next steps Guest Links/Resources: Elena's Website and Book: https://elenahuggins.com Book: “Untwist Me: Uncomplicated Life Hacks for Mental and Emotional Liberation” https://amzn.to/4pPy6H5 Additional Resources/References: N/A
Do big emotions ever feel like they're taking over your life? In this episode, discover why emotions themselves are not sinful, and practical steps to calm your body and mind so you can process what's really happening beneath the surface. Let's talk about how to identify triggers, invite God into your emotional life, and use simple tools to move from reaction to Spirit-led response—even in moments of overwhelming stress. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: [00:00] Why Are Big Emotions So Hard to Control? [06:00] God's Design for Emotions: Evidence from the Trinity [09:00] How Jesus and the Holy Spirit Show God's Emotional Nature [12:00] What Everyday Situations Trigger Out-of-Control Feelings? [14:00] Lies We Believe About Emotional “Equilibrium” [17:00] How Overwhelm Reveals Deeper Roots Beneath the Surface [20:00] Why Emotions Are Signals, Not Failures [24:00] Practical First Step: Pause and Name What You Feel [27:00] How to Find Calm by Switching Into the Parasympathetic State [30:00] Choosing to Address the Foundation Instead of Plastering Cracks RESOURCES: Want practical help learning to manage your emotions better? Join us in Alicia's Emotional Confidence Club! We're a Christ-centered community of women learning to process everyday emotions—like disappointment, overwhelm, and shame—using a science-and-Scripture-based roadmap that makes emotional healing practical, powerful, and personal. Every 6 weeks we welcome new members and focus on a new topic (and November and December is on “Finding Peace in the Midst of Overwhelm”)! Apply now to join us at AliciaMichelle.com/club. RELATED EPISODES: Ep 312: What to Do When You Can't Stop Crying, Snapping, or Shutting Down Ep 304: Take Control of Your Feelings: "Get Off the Mat" + "What Thoughts Will You Let Land?" Ep 292: Analyzing Your Emotions: "What Am I Feeling and Why?" Send us a textWant support applying what you're learning here each week about managing emotions with science and scripture? Come join us in the Emotional Confidence Club—apply now at AliciaMichelle.com/club.
In this episode of Beyond the Letter, Adam is joined by Sammy and Jermaine for a powerful conversation on the connection between physical health and spiritual well-being. Inspired by Luke 2:52—where we read that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man”—they reflect on the reality that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.The discussion highlights how caring for our physical health directly impacts our ability to serve God and others. Through the story of one individual's weight loss journey, the episode draws out a moving metaphor for spiritual transformation: with God's strength and the support of community, even the greatest obstacles can be overcome. This conversation challenges us all to examine how we steward our bodies, and how greater discipline in health can unlock new doors for growth, service, and intimacy with God.--Connect with:Adam Mesa https://www.instagram.com/amesa/Samuel Rodriguez https://www.instagram.com/samuelmrod/Jermaine Baker https://www.instagram.com/verlonbakerofficial/--Don't forget to stay connected with us:Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4OvpFp9OB9_DgVdVVbXhFgInstagram https://www.instagram.com/beyond.theletter/Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/discover/beyond-the-letter--Get Aaron Levy's book, JOHN: 21 Daily Drips of Dialogue: https://a.co/d/7lGB90i--Have a question? Submit it TODAY, by clicking the link below! ***SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION HERE: https://patria.church.ai/form/BeyondtheLetterQA--Get to know the team:@amesa https://www.instagram.com/amesa/@verlonbakerofficial https://www.instagram.com/verlonbakerofficial/@nancysnavas https://www.instagram.com/nancysnavas/@alizee.kayy https://www.instagram.com/alizee.kayy/@andytakesl https://www.instagram.com/andytakesl/
Discover how to find peace in the ever-changing flow of life in this powerful spiritual talk with Rev Lee Wolak. Learn why every event—whether you label it good or bad—is simply part of life's continuous unfolding. This message will help you release resistance, stop judging outcomes, and trust the divine process of evolution. Embrace change, awaken awareness, and live in flow. Keywords: spiritual awakening, acceptance, non-resistance, inner peace, consciousness, Zen teaching, law of mind. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
We are excited to begin a new series entitled Spiritual Growth 101. Over the next four weeks, we'll walk through the basics of spiritual formation—how we know Christ, grow in Christ, and become like Christ.To start, Pastor Lydia Miller goes back to the very beginning and asks: What is my response to the message of Jesus? Looking at Jesus' own teaching in Matthew 13, we'll examine the response of our hearts and discover what God might have for us when we are receptive to His truth.--Take the next step to Follow JesusWebsiteFacebookInstagramSunday SetlistConnect With UsHow can we pray for you? Let us know.
This episode explores how each person is intentionally designed by God for both universal and unique purposes, emphasizing the importance of loving God, others, and oneself. Drawing from key scriptures, Sam encourages listeners to embrace their value, pursue holiness, and trust in God's redemptive plan even through failures.
James Series Message: 12 Episode: 1 of 3 Broadcast: October 06, 2025 Key Verses: James 4:7-10 In this episode of Walk in Truth, Pastor Michael Lantz continues his teaching through the book of James with a message called “The Battle Plan,” based on James 4:7–10. These powerful verses remind us that victory in the Christian life begins with surrender—submitting to God, resisting the devil, and drawing near to the Lord. Pastor Michael unpacks what it means to humble ourselves before God and find strength in His grace as we face daily battles of faith. This teaching will equip you with biblical truth and practical guidance to stand firm, grow in spiritual maturity, and walk through life with renewed confidence in God's presence and power. Welcome to Walk in Truth! These are the Bible teachings of Pastor Michael Lantz. Equipping you to reach out with God's truth to all people. And how to apply that truth to today's issues, trends, and culture. Leave your question or comment contact@walkintruth.com
WelcomeHey, beauties. I have felt the call to record this episode for such a long time, and I know this teaching is precious. It is one of those transmissions that everyone on a true growth path will meet sooner or later. I invite you to listen and reflect, to let this episode be as relatable as possible to your own journey.Episode SummaryIn this episode, I guide you to look at the stories and memories that may still be holding you back from your next level. I share how the challenges and initiations we have faced, even the darkest ones, are not failures or punishments, but sacred invitations to heal ourselves and the world.We explore what happens when you fully reject the victim mindset and choose to own your power, even when logic or your past tries to convince you otherwise. I encourage you to see yourself as the one who raised their hand for this work, who took on the healing of pain, abuse, burnout or depression because of your strength, your light, and your connection to the Divine.You will hear about the transformation that unfolds when you declare that nothing is truly against you, and that every moment on your journey counts. I talk about the power of honouring your breakthroughs, celebrating your resilience, and reclaiming your right to lead yourself, moment by moment and breath by breath.Key TakeawaysEvery challenge, even the darkest, is an initiation and a calling to healRejecting the victim story unlocks profound transformationYou chose, at a soul level, to turn poison into medicineWhen you own your journey, you become unstoppable and truly powerfulHonouring your breakthroughs builds your self-trust and self-worthLife changes when you see yourself as the leader of your own pathResources & LinksFor upcoming events, ceremonies, and ways to connect, visit my website or reach out directlyFollow on social media for daily inspiration and updatesExplore previous episodes of The Calling for more teachings and embodimentActionIf this message resonates, take a moment to honour your journey. Celebrate your breakthroughs, no matter how small. Breathe in the knowing that you are leading your life, and every step you take is sacred. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and let us continue to rise together.Thank you for listening, for your courage, and for showing up for yourself and the world.With all my love,HomayaI'd love to hear your thoughts, text the show. Homaya Resource Links: Website: https://homaya.org/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homaya/ Free Light Imprint Quiz: https://homaya.org/lightactivatorquiz Soul Contract Activation Meditations: https://homaya.org/the-calling-podcast
In this powerful spiritual talk, Rev. Lee Wolak explores how attachment to “how things should be” creates disappointment, frustration, and suffering. Learn how to let go of control, release expectations, and move into alignment with the natural flow of life. Discover the spiritual freedom that comes from accepting what is and trusting life's divine intelligence. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
In this powerful talk, Stop Arguing with Life, Rev. Lee Wolak dives into one of the most important spiritual lessons of all: how resistance creates suffering and how acceptance opens the door to peace. Life is always unfolding in the present moment, but when we fight against “what is,” we disconnect from our own inner power and clarity. This video explores practical spiritual wisdom, Zen-inspired teachings, and real-world examples that will help you let go of struggle, release resistance, and awaken to the freedom of acceptance. Whether you're navigating challenges, seeking deeper meaning, or simply wanting to expand your spiritual awareness, this message will guide you to a place of surrender and empowerment. Stop battling reality and start living in harmony with it. Peace isn't found by controlling life—it's discovered when you stop arguing with it. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
In Acts 22, the Apostle Paul stands before the people and the authorities to share his life-changing encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In this message, we explore how God can transform your past mistakes, setbacks, and struggles into a powerful testimony that inspires, influences, and impacts others.Learn how to:Share your personal story with boldness and clarityTurn challenges and pain into platforms for influenceLive courageously for Christ even in the face of oppositionMain scripture: Acts 22
Join us as Pastor Hank continues his series “Shift Change,” sharing how walking in love and honor can unlock breakthrough and usher in change for your life and our nation. Don't miss this powerful message!
Imagine a horse who wastes away longing to eat grass on the other side of the fence while ignoring the abundant grazing on his side! Coach Caleb takes us back to the Bible and the lines of an old hymn to help us recognize the antidote for jealousy. As a thank you for your support this month, please choose from two excellent books—each designed to encourage and equip you as you grow in Christ:Mostly Scripture QD: 500 Scripture-based questions with quick, practical reflections to help tackle life's toughest challenges.Life after Death: Explores what happens when we die and how that shapes the way we live today.Yours with a gift of any amount.Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.
Step into the power of today with this inspiring spiritual talk from Rev Lee Wolak, author of The Power in You. Every sunrise offers a new beginning, yet too often we drag the weight of the past into the present. In this talk, you'll discover how to release regret, let go of yesterday, and awaken to the truth that life is always offering you a fresh start. Learn how presence, courage, and conscious choice can transform your life right now. This message will help you embrace spiritual growth, self-empowerment, and the freedom to create anew. Keywords: spirituality, new beginning, spiritual awakening, self-empowerment, mindfulness, personal transformation. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
Today, Coach Ricky Kennedy introduces you to “quick, slow, slow” – an important spiritual fitness principle that sets the pace for patience and understanding rather than anger! As a thank you for your support this month, please choose from two excellent books—each designed to encourage and equip you as you grow in Christ:Mostly Scripture QD: 500 Scripture-based questions with quick, practical reflections to help tackle life's toughest challenges.Life after Death: Explores what happens when we die and how that shapes the way we live today.Yours with a gift of any amount.Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.
Isn't it wonderful to know God wants to be good to His children? Today, Joyce teaches on how to ask, expect, and receive the blessings God longs to pour into your life, just because He loves you!
Reformed Brotherhood | Sound Doctrine, Systematic Theology, and Brotherly Love
In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores the profound depths of Jesus' Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. While this parable might seem unassuming compared to others, Jesse reveals how it serves as the "granddaddy" of all parables—offering a God's-eye view of salvation through the ordinary imagery of farming. The episode examines why different people respond differently to the same gospel message, and challenges listeners to consider what kind of soil their own hearts represent. Through historical context and theological reflection, Jesse unpacks how this parable prepares believers for the mixed responses they'll encounter when sharing the gospel and reminds us that the efficacy of salvation depends not on the sower's skill, but on God's sovereign work in preparing hearts to receive His Word. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Sower provides a framework for understanding the various responses to the gospel message, serving as preparation for disciples who would face both acceptance and rejection. Jesus' parables, particularly the Sower, demonstrate how God uses ordinary, mundane things to express profound spiritual truths about His kingdom. The efficacy of salvation doesn't depend on the skill of the sower but on God's sovereign work in preparing the soil of human hearts. God's Word never returns void but always comes back "full" of either acceptance or rejection—it accomplishes exactly what God intends. Historical context matters: Jesus' audience had high expectations for a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom, but Jesus was revealing a different kind of kingdom. The Parable of the Sower shows that the kingdom of God isn't received equally by all—some receive it with joy while others reject it outright. Having "ears to hear" is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, not merely intellectual understanding but spiritual receptivity. The Word That Never Returns Void The power of God's Word stands at the center of the Parable of the Sower. Jesse highlights Isaiah 55, where God declares that His word "shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." Unlike human words that often fall flat, God's Word always achieves its intended effect. This doesn't mean universal salvation, but rather that God's purposes are never thwarted. When the gospel is proclaimed, it always returns to God "full" of something—either acceptance or rejection. The parable illustrates this reality by showing the various responses to the same seed. This should encourage believers in evangelism: we are simply called to faithfully sow the seed, while God determines the harvest according to His sovereign purposes. Our success is not measured by conversions but by faithfulness in proclamation. Kingdom Expectations vs. Kingdom Reality The historical context of Jesus' ministry reveals a profound disconnect between what people expected from the Messiah and what Jesus actually delivered. Jesse explains how the Jewish people anticipated a conquering king who would overthrow Roman oppression and establish a visible earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus announced a kingdom that begins in the heart, dividing even families according to their response to Him. The Parable of the Sower anticipates this mixed response, preparing disciples for both acceptance and rejection. This teaches modern believers an important lesson: the gospel will not be universally embraced, even when perfectly presented. Some hearts are like paths, others rocky ground, others thorny soil. Yet we continue sowing because God has appointed some to be good soil—hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word and bear fruit. This reality should both humble us and embolden our witness. Quotes "The power of this message is in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered... it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial." - Jesse Schwamb "We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in, coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him." - Jesse Schwamb "Consider what it means that this good news... that God's word is his deed. This is why... it's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit." - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Welcome to episode 463 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for those with ears to hear. Hey, brothers and sisters, so I am just one half. Of the Reform Brotherhood squad. Tony, of course, wanted to join us on this episode, but it sometimes happens in life. Our schedules were a little bit crazy this week, and God gave us responsibilities that put us in opposite directions for part of the time. And so that means that today on this episode, I thought. You and I, we could just hang out and Tony will be back to join us in the next episode. [00:01:20] Solo Episode and Parable Series Overview But for now, this is one of those solo or formed brotherhood episodes. And if you have been tracking with us, we just started this great and amazing journey on going through all the parables that our Lord and Savior gives to us in teaching us about the kingdom of God and its power. And we just started by talking about the parable of the sower, in fact. In the last episode, we just covered basically the first two soils, the first half of that amazing little story, and I thought it would be really, really great to camp out in that for just a little bit more because even though Tony's not here, the podcast goes on and we, Tony and I never really. Thinking about these things and when we start a series in particular, we always find that we just gotta keep going back on it in our minds ruminating on what we said and what God was teaching us and the conversations like all good conversations that draw your mind back to the things that you talked about, which I should say maybe before I begin in earnest, that is also my denial, which is saying things like, let's camp out in this text now to be. Sure. There's no wrong reason why, or there's no bad reason to say words like that. It's just when I hear myself say them, I think about all the things that Christians say, like saying like, we should camp out in this text, or Let's sit in it for a while. And I think maybe it's because I'm just not into camping or maybe because I think most of the time when you use the phrase like, sit in, it's not. A happy or blessed or joyful thing that you're describing. So I always find that funny, and yet here I am saying it because I just couldn't think of anything better to say except, you know what? We should pause and maybe ruminate a little bit more. On all of this good stuff that's in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus gives us the parable of the sower, so you can join me in sharing which little Christian phrases maybe you think you hear, we say too much or just become rote or part and parcel what it means to talk. The best way for you to do that is do me a. Go to your favorite internet device and in the browser, type T me slash reform brotherhood, that will just take you that little link to a part of the internet using an app called Telegram where a bunch of brothers and sisters who listen to the podcast are chatting about the podcast, their live sharing prayer requests, and there's even a place for you to share, Hey, what are the things that Christians say that you think. Why do we say that? Why are we always talking about hedges of protection? Why are we always talking about camping out in a text? So that's a place that you can come hang out. So go to t.me/reform brotherhood. [00:03:56] Deep Dive into the Parable of the Sower But enough of that, let's talk a little bit more about this incredible parable that our Lord and Savior gives us in Matthew chapter 13. It's so, so short in fact that I figured. The best parts of any conversation about the Bible is just hearing from God in his word. So let me read just those couple of verses. It's just eight verses beginning in Matthew chapter 13, the parable of the sower. That same day, Jesus went out from the house and sat beside the sea and great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables saying a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and produced grain. Some a hundred fold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears let him hear. [00:05:09] Personal Reflections on the Parable I have to say that of all the parables, and we mentioned in the previous episode that this one is kind of the granddaddy of them all. It's a god's eye view on salvation told in this lovely kind of encased way about horticulture and farming and growing plants. But to be totally transparent, I never really got into this parable. It was never really my favorite one. Like of all the things that Jesus says, of all the creative and wonderful terms of phrase, this one for me always just seemed to be lacking That stuff. You know, it doesn't have really strong characters. It's about a sower, seed and soil, and compared to some other things that seems kind of unassuming and. Not very exciting, quite honestly, to me, and it's not as exciting, I think, as stories about, I don't know, losing something of value and then suddenly finding it and rejoicing and having the characters, feeling yourself in those characters as they go about experiencing all the emotions. That Jesus expresses and keyed in these lovely little riddles called parables. And so for this one, it's always been a little bit kind of like a, okay. It's interesting and the point seems fairly straightforward and it just doesn't captivate me as the others. And I've been thinking about about that, how even in this, it just seems like a really normal, mundane, kind of pedestrian expression of a life in that time. And it's all wrapped up in gardening. And throwing seeds into the ground, not even having control of their outcome. And then in this way, though, expressing and explaining this grand narrative and arc of salvation from God's perspective. So it is, again, another lesson in God using ordinary, normal, almost seemingly mundane things to express his power, to express our lack of control and to show so that he does. Did I just say so to, so that he does all things and certainly we get so much of that in this parable, and so it made me think this week after Tony and I talked about it a little bit. Just how it raises a question in this really normative, kind of unassuming, almost boring, if I can say way, this really profound question, which is, will we be this fruitful, fertile soil? Will we be fruitful followers? Of Jesus Christ. And it doesn't just raise this question, I suppose it also gives us some hope, but it also does so with a warning. It is a maybe a little bit of law and gospel even embedded in these simple means of, again, talking about what it means to plant something and to entrust the planting, the acy of the growth there to the soil and the seed, and there's hope. There's warning and there's so much of that that's in this context of the parable, and that's what's led me to wanna talk to you all a little bit about that as we kinda process together more of what this means. [00:08:00] Historical Context and Expectations of the Messiah I was thinking that when Jesus began his ministry, when he's coming forward, he's really announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God. And it's helpful, I think, to meditate as a second on how profound that is, that he comes again, not just as the message, but the messenger and the medium of that message. I was just kinda ruminating on the fact that. Everybody had high expectations. There was no one, I think, with kind of a low opinion of what was about to happen or of what the Messiah was going to bring or what he was going to do. And here you have like explicitly Jesus' hearers, their ancestors would've been taken into exile and captivity because they had broken the covenant with God. And the prophets had made this case for God's punishment because of their idolatry and their injustice. But that message, and you get this especially in in books like Isaiah. Where there's this mixture that's bittersweet. There is not only an exclusive message of woe for the people, but there is at the same time up against sick, almost running parallel. This promise of a day when God, by his own effort in Zeal, would bring about a restoration where he'd set up visibly an earthly reign through his anointed Wanda Messiah. And so I can only imagine if I could. Even partially put myself in the place of these people who are hearing this particular parable, that there is all this sense that we have strayed from God, that we're covenant breakers, but that he has promised to make a way and that his own zeal will very much accomplish this, but it will be visible and earthly, not just spiritual in the sense that we believe these things and we internalize them in the sense for our being, and therefore we speak about them in these kind of grandiose and ephemeral terms. But more than that, that God was going to come and set up an earthly reign, purely manifested in the world in which we live and breathe and have our being. And so two things would happen. Israel's oppressors would be defeated. And God would institute a pure worship and a reestablished pure worship. And so I can't help but think maybe there was some of this expectation. They're, they're seeing this Messiah, this Jesus, the one who speaks with a different kind of authority, come into their midst. And there I think all these things are somewhere in their minds as their processing. Maybe they should be in ours as well. And so there's this portrait that's being painted here of the prophet saying there's gonna be. Restoration and this image of a seed being sown. And then of course you have these metaphors that Jesus is employing in his own time. Very reminiscent of passages like in Isaiah 55, where you find the prophet saying, for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and I shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. What an amazing, glorious promise of God that there is no suboptimal nature. In his expression of who he is and what he's accomplished, that the very thing that he intends to do, he always does, and this word comes back. I think what really strikes me about this passage in particular is the fact that it does not return to God empty. I mean, think about what that means. It's strange in a way. That. In other words, it's full of something. And here I think it's full of response. It's full of anticipation. It's full of this. Like what? What has gone out is now received by the individual and then returns with either acceptance or denial, very much in the same way that we're about to receive it in this parable before us. And in fact, even our ability to understand the parable. This if you have ears, he has ears. Let him hear that itself is an expression. So in other words. The power of this message is again, in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered, it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial. And so when we think about the people of Israel. They exactly in that way. They return from exile under Ezra Nehemiah. But even those returns, even those improvements or some of that remediation seems to me like to come short of expectations. You know, Ezra rebuilt the temple, but it paled in comparison to Solomon's original, in fact. If we go to Ezra chapter three, there's like so much honesty as the people are seeing this rebuilt temple. Their response is, is like tragic in a way. So this is Ezra chapter three, beginning verse 12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers houses, old men. Who had seen the first house as the temple of God wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy so that the people cannot distinguish the sound of the joyful from the sound of people's weeping for the people shouted with a great shout and the sound was heard far away, even in just the setting up the foundation, the base layer. There are those saying this is. This is not like it used to be. Even this is just far piles in comparison and falls very far short of the original. And of course you have Nehemiah's rebuilt wall around Jerusalem. Couldn't even ensure the holiness of God's people. And so everything up to that point. All of it was still just a shadow. It was like a big, giant disappointment, a blemish as it were, on God's people. Even as there was an attempt to restore, there was still this longing from the inside to have the real McCoy to everything made right to have the true Messiah come, not the one that was the type. Not the thing that was the shadow, not the the poor replacement or the analog, but the real thing. And so you have in response to this, you know, some of God's people move into the wilderness and pursue holy living. Some accommodated to Roman occupation like the Sadducees, some retreated into kind of individual individualistic piety or rule keeping like the Pharisees. And then there's all kinds of accounts of God's people in rebellion. Like Simon, the Zealots. There were some who even located themselves under the legitimate, yet Roman endorsed leadership of Herod, you know the Herodians. So you have all of these people you can imagine literally in the same audience. Jesus pushes back and he begins to teach them. And he starts by talking about horticulture. He starts by saying, A sower goes out and he throws all this kind of seed. And it's not difficult to imagine that all of the seed, all the soil, everything is represented in what he's saying right there. And then it's not a story as if like, well, you take this away and try to process it in such a way that you might come to terms with it later on. It's happening in the here and now. Even what he's saying. Even the message that he's communicating is being man made manifest right there in their midst, and it's not returning a void to him. The one who wrote it to begin with is the one who's speaking it, and it's having its desired effect, even as we read it now, and it reads us today. [00:15:13] Jesus' Ministry and the Kingdom of God And so it's amazing that it's on this stage that Jesus steps out and he stands, especially in the synagogue when he reads from the Isaiah scroll. And he announces that the true jubilee has now arrived and it's arrived in him. You know, by the way, what's interesting there is we have, we have no real reason to think that Israel ever really practiced Jubilee as it was outlined in the scriptures. So we have this beautiful instruction for a reset, a pure reset, and one that is liberty and freedom in so many ways, but especially demonstrated in this economic reality. And Jesus commences his public ministry proclaiming the good new. News that the kingdom of God has arrived. I feel like we have to go there, right? Because this is just so good. So in MOOC chapter four, Jesus stands up. He asks for the scroll, and this is what he reads. Loved ones. These are fantastic words. I mean, hear them from the mouth of our Savior. Again, Jesus reads this, the spirits of the Lord is upon me. Because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. It's such incredibly strong and powerful news. We're getting this sense that there are those who are poor that need. To hear that something will be different. That they are her, that they're seen that all of the straining in life and all of their labor is not in vain, but here is one who's come to rescue them and that those who have been set in prison, those who are chained and under duress and find themselves locked up. That here he has come to proclaim liberty to the captives, and then for those that cannot see, that have lost their way entirely, that are groping in the dark, here is one that's coming to recover the sight. Hear that word, not to give it brand new, but to restore that which was originally present to begin with. Imagine the horror of having your sights and then having it taken away that. Knowing that there was something there that was beautiful in your midst, something that was precious to you, and now to have that restored, in fact, like Blind by de MEUs the Greek, there is more when God says, or Jesus rather, says, what do you want me to do for you? The Greek is very clear, just says, sight again, sight again. And I think we like our ancestors and Israel here before us. We ought to be always clamoring and crying. Then I tell God like, son of David sight again. Would you help me to see truly not as the world appears to be, but we spiritual eyes, to know the truth, to understand how much you love me, and would you gimme the strength to love you? Me back love you back by way of giving, yes, this sight. And then for all those who are downtrodden. Where, wherever, and whatever that means, physically, emotionally, spiritually, that here's the one who has come to, again, set you at liberty and then to say, do you know what this time is? This is the time of the Lord's favor. Why? Because the son of man is here and where the son of man is. There is freedom and restoration. There is a new king over all things. There's one who super intends over all of the earth. Who has been given control over all things and has come to win literally the day for those who are rebellious before God, for those who have sinned, who are covenant breakers, who are gospel abusers, while we were at yet enmity with God at the right time, Jesus and his son for us. And so we find that it's like the pretext, it's the context for all of this, and especially this parable. And of course, rather than. Everybody listening to what Jesus has to say here and just being one over being filled with some kind of winsome logic of what's being said here, of being thoroughly convinced. We know that of course it's not just a matter of evidence, but unless the Holy Spirit comes the same spirit, which is upon Jesus, the sin of God, to change us, to open our ears, that we do not hear these things, we don't hear them as we ought to. We do not give them heed. We do not internalize them, and we cannot understand them. And so because of that, rather than of course meeting with universal acceptance, Jesus, of course, he encounters a host of reactions. Some opposed him. The crowds sometimes were way more motivated, like people in our day by novelty or curiosity or by presume rewards or blessings. You can imagine this is what makes, of course, something like the Blat and grab, its kind of gospel, the prosperity of some of our modern evangelical expression, so incredibly dangerous. Because of course people will say, well, if I can get that blessing, of course I want Jesus. Or if I'm gonna be made, well, yes, I'll, I'll find, I'll take Jesus. If I'm gonna get wealth and riches and a 401k, that's gonna suit my every need. Well sure I'll take Jesus. And of course, the blessing, the reward of getting Jesus is getting the son of God, getting the one who restores us first and predominantly. With God the father himself, that all of those blessings are already ours in the spiritual realm because of Jesus. In fact, we've, we've already been placed with him in the heavenly realms. That is the reward. And so sometimes the gods were a little bit more motivated by, this guy's given us bread before. Let's see if there's gonna be another buffet, rather than he says We ought to eat and drink his flesh. That in that is eternal life, and so we get distracted. And so sometimes novelty and curiosity just win the day. And then of course, on the other hand. Some of the most unlikely unseemly, most sinful were responding with incredible joy and embracing Jesus and his announcement. Tenaciously like voraciously, the ones who were humble, who knew that they needed a savior, they needed a reconciliation that was alien and outside of themselves. Something powerful that could defeat even the sin that was within them and bring about a pure and unbridled atonement, unreserved in its ability to clean. These were the ones who were saying, come, Lord Jesus, these were the ones crying out, saying, have mercy on me, son of David. And we like them. Ought to follow that example. And so throughout Matthew's Gospel and Luke's gospel. There's a mixed response throughout the entire ministry of Jesus. And again, what's unique about this parable, I think, is that Jesus comes setting the stage for that unique response. All of those different kind of options and how people will perceive him, how they respond to him, what they will say to him. And so whether as you go through the narratives in the gospels, you look to. The Samaritan Leopard or the blind beggar, or the Chief tax Collector, or the impoverished widow, all of these were those who were forcing their way into the kingdom in response during the good news. There's really something I think that's beautiful about that, that God allows for us to force our way as it were. When we are convicted of this kingdom, that he is the kingdom and that he brings it to us. That we come headlong, rushing in, falling over ourselves to get into that kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's why I think, why, why Luke writes in chapter 16 of his gospel. The law in the prophets were until John. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. What a amazing and lovely thing that God allows us. Which is the truth, to force our way into that. So these were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil for the word of the kingdom, not the ones who chose the places of honor or the privilege, or we saw Jesus one of many important priorities to be managed. What we have here is the ones who forced their way in. These were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil, and I'm not gonna steal. Any of our thunder, because Tony and I are gonna talk about that in the next episode. But I bring that up merely to say there's so much that's rich here. When we think about are we as Christians fruitful and fertile? In our following, after the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's Matthew's great theme of reversal, like beginning in the birth narratives of Jesus and continuing through the very end of his gospel count. Even like in his final parable, Jesus forced the confrontation with his opponents by declaring that God would give the kingdom to those who had produce a harvest for God in honor. His son. That's the truth. And so he was more than simply this messenger in these cleverly created stories announcing the arrival of God's reign. He was the one who brought the kingdom. And actually, in fact, Jesus embodies the kingdom because he was the king, not only of Israel, but the royal son of God who would rule the nations. And because of that. He did represent a threat to overthrow to some just as much as he was meant as a salvation and a blessing to others. He is divisive. In fact, what's interesting is if you track Jesus standing up in the temple. And he comes forward and reads from Isaiah. It's interesting where he stops reading. This is really before kind of the, all the language about the second coming back, him really coming not to bring just salvation, but to bring retribution, to bring justice and punishment for those who are God's enemies. And so really this first coming. Jesus is all about this. It's it's all about having the message of God go out in that return void. It's returning full of the response of God's people, full of the response of God's enemies and therefore. This parable, an ex explanation to his inner circle would be understood as an accounting for the surprising range of responses. And even more than I think like an ex explanation, like explicitly it would be this kind of preparation. This kind of, again, setting a table or opening up a pathway for this hard road that lay ahead for those who would remain true to Jesus. These would be the ones who would serve the ultimate purpose of God's great act of sowing in his son to produce a great harvest. And of course. That is partly what lies the hope for us. I mean, I think I said last time we spoke about this, what I appreciate about this teaching is not only that it doesn't pull any punches, but it's just so. Real, it's so resonant because Jesus already gives us some of the breadth and scope or the continuum of the responses so that when we go out and we should so unreservedly that that is by proclaiming Jesus as the king who has come as the kingdom already ushered in as here, but not yet. When we do this, we can expect already that there'll be various responses. So one for us, it takes away the surprise. The second is it does prepare us. That these things might in fact happen. And three, it gives us a sense that, again, the efficacy of salvation. And we're getting, by the way, this view of salvation from, from God isn't again dependent on the skillset of the sower. Instead, it is God's prerogative. It's always God's prerogative. And here as loved ones, you've heard me say again, I must invoke the phrase, we have God doing all the verbs, right? He's the one walking in the field. He's the one reaching in into the seed bag, as it were. He's the one casting it liberally across the ground. He's the one making it grow. All of this is what God is doing. The preparation of the soil, the casting of the seed, the being present in. Farmland. All of this is what God is doing now. We emulate that by design. So now the call is to do what Jesus has done here in Mala for us, and that is that we also go out into the world and we proclaim this good news because what is unequivocally true is that the good news of Jesus Christ. Is for all people. Now, this does not mean that all people will accept it. That is abundantly clear in the message that Jesus gives to us. It does not prevent though us or him from casting it out to all people. We see that really, really. Vividly. Some will be given ears to hear. We ought to pray that our neighbors, our children, those in our churches and our communities, our politicians, we ought to be praying that all would be given ears to hear, and the seed of God's word will accomplish exactly what God intends and Jesus' word, a proclamation announcing the good news of the kingdom of God. We see vividly the point that God's word is. Deed that this word that he spoke speaks is his action. It's not simply that God says what he will do, but that his very act of speaking is the means by which he does that very thing. When we hear God speak to us, it is proof that we are alive. Not only do like dead men tell no tales, I think I've just inadvertently like quoted from Disney's. Um. Pirates movie, but they hear no tells as well. You know, you have been born again, not a perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God. Incredible. Isn't it? Loved ones like it's incredible this story that to me on the beginning seems like so kind of. Boring and not particularly catchy and maybe not as interesting as some of the others contained within. This is literally all the words of life in the seed that we've seen thrown and in. It is like the continuum we find, not that it emulates the Old Testament, or that it somehow compliments New Testament, but within all within this parable is all of the scriptures and all of the full plan of God and all of his great love for us. That again, while we were at his enemies, he came and on this path, as he walks among the field, he casts the seed. To all, and he, by his power, gives to some these ears to hear. We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him, fall down and find. The one who is our savior, who ushers in the visible kingdom of God, the one that is not built merely on political theories, on good rules. The kind of gospel that didn't come to make bad people good, but came to make dead people alive again. And I think that that is the absolute. Untouchable, unfathomable, almost completely un understandable, if you will, truth of this particular parable. I think this is why the Westminster confession describes the word of God, and particularly the preaching of the word as a means of grace. The word is powerful in itself by the spirits of God. I had to quote the Westminster, of course, at least in honor of Tony, so. [00:30:02] Call to Action and Final Thoughts That's my little challenge to you on this short little episode. It's just you and me and I'm saying to you loved ones. Consider this parable again. Consider how palpable this parable is. Consider what God has for us in it. Consider this soils. And then think about what it means that this good news, we see this within it, this vivid point again, that God's word is his deed. And so this is why though we do not create any kind of legalistic, conscription, or prescription around something like daily Bible study. Why? It's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because, because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit that is always going out into the world and returning full with response and that when God. Speaks his word. He's always accomplishing his act in that very deed. And so it should be a blessing. We should be compelled to find ourselves in it as much as often as we can because what we're finding there is the power of God for us, in us speaking, administering to us to produce in us a great harvest. That's the promise it's coming, and we're gonna get there in the next. Episode, but what I'll leave you with is just those first two soils thinking about if you have ears to hear, if you have been made alive together with Christ, then consider that there was a time when you are one of the other soils and God who's being rich in mercy has rescued you. Not because of work done in righteousness, not because you've come forward and. Elevate your place to the, to elevate your state to the place of deserving poor. Not because like you came forward with, with empty hands and somehow convinced God that you are worthy enough, or sorry enough or contrite enough. But because of his great mercy, and it's that mercy, I think that compels us to say things to Jesus like Son of David Sight again. Son of David, have mercy on me, son of David. You are the real arrival of the Kingdom of God and your word bears testimony and your Holy Spirit has in a great work in my life. And to that end, I want to follow you and I want to ensure that this word that you've given to me is given to all people. So there's work to do, loved ones. And there's a lot there to process. I hope that you will take some time. Think about this in your own way, and as you are processing this as God is speaking to you, as you are joining together with loved ones from literally all over the world who are hanging out and listening to Tony and I chat about this stuff, that again, you would share your own voice, the best way to do that. Why do you make me beg you? Come join the Telegram chat. You'll have a great time. It's super fun. T me slash Reform Brotherhood. I would also be remiss if I didn't on behalf of myself and Tony, thank everyone who does hang out there, everyone who sent us the email, everyone who shares prayer requests or has prayed for us, and as well everyone who makes sure that this podcast. Is free of charge. It comes with its own expenses. It's not free to produce. And so we're so thankful that those who've said, listen, I've been blessed by the podcast, or It's just been important or special to me. God has done something in it. Or God has renewed a different kind of desire and passion to talk about the things of God or to encourage me in my life. I'm so happy if other things have happened. By the way, it's not because of Tony or me. It's because God is good to us. I mean, can I get an amen? I see that hand. In the back, God is good to Tony and me and we're just so thankful that we get to do this. And so if you'd like to join in supporting financially. Every little gift helps. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood patreon.com, reform Brotherhood, and there you can find a way to give one time or reoccurring all of those gifts together. Make sure that there's no payrolls on this bad boy that you're not gonna get any super weird ads in the middle of it. You're just gonna get us talking. We want to em, I would say be emblematic of what we've talked about here, which is. Freely we've received freely want to give. And for those who join and say, I wanna make that possible so that no one has to be compelled to pay for this kind of thing, I love that we are here for that every day of the week and twice on the Lord's day. So next episode, Tony and I are gonna continue in this parable. We're probably, you know, gonna get together. We'll set up our tents, we'll just camp out here for a little bit. So until we get the tents out, we get the s'mores. And we start camping. Honor everyone love the brotherhood.
Send us a textIn this episode of Showing Up Whole, Christina takes a deeper dive into life in wholeness, and flow, so you draw a line in the sand and stop the scrambled energy bombarding us.While collective energy right now can feel heavy, fearful, and uncertain, Christina explores how choosing alignment isn't about ignoring the chaos, but about becoming a light within it. You'll be guided into a moment of nervous system regulation and grounded presence, then invited to imagine what's possible when we live from this place of flow.Together, we'll explore: How to balance awareness of the world's intensity without being consumed by it The power of grounding, regulating your energy, and creating healthy boundaries Why living in flow changes not only your personal experience but also the collective frequency Two practical shifts that help retrain your brain to notice hope and helpers instead of fear How plugging into source energy (God, Spirit, guides, ancestors or however you connect) sustains you in uncertain timesThis is more than self-care so you don't drown. It's a call to embody the light, expand into wholeness, and become the change the world needs right now.Mentioned in this Episode: Download the FREE Spiritual Sleep Solution bundle for meditation, energy healing, and practices to clear your energy for restful nights and get you aligned. Join the Spiritually Aware Living Facebook community, for support and likeminded connections.If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. Your light matters more than ever. That's not a pressure it's a calling, so breathe deep and let's live the life we individually came to live.Christina Fletcher is a Spiritual Alignment coach, energy worker, author, speaker and host of the podcast Showing Up Whole.She specialises in practical spirituality and integrating inner work with outer living, so you can get self development off of the hobby shelf and integrated as a powerful fuel to your life. Through mindset, spiritual connection, intuitive guidance, manifestation, and mindfulness techniques Christina helps her clients overcome overwhelm and shame to find a place of flow, ease, and deep heart-centered connection.Christina has been a spiritual alignment coach, healer and spiritually aware parent coach for 7 years and trained in Therapeutic Touch 8 years ago. She is also a meditation teacher and speaker. For more information please visit her website www.spirituallyawareliving.com Want to uncover where you need the most energy alignment? Take her new Energy Alignment Quiz to identify which of your energetic worlds (mind, body, heart or spirit) needs aligning the most! Or Follow her on her social media accounts:FacebookInstagramorLinkedin...
Can Our Enemies Teach Us Anything? A.J. Swoboda joins the Good Faith podcast to unpack how cultivating a teachable spirit and practicing true discipleship means learning from enemies, strangers, and neighbors in a divided world. He emphasizes how to recognize real experts amid alternate facts and subjective “truths,” and tells how the countercultural practice of learning from anyone—regardless of agreement—fosters humility, empathy, and connection, insights drawn from his book A Teachable Spirit. (03:11) - Cultivating a Teachable Spirit (09:38) - Reverse Prophecy and Calling Out Your Tribe (17:55) - Experts & Expertise (22:09) - Sola Scriptura vs. “Solo” Scriptura (23:27) - Jesus Would Be the Best At Anything (32:04) - Replacing Our Neighbors With Technology (45:03) - Learning From Enemies Join The After Party Send Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org Donate to Redeeming Babel Mentioned In This Episode: A.J. Swoboda's A Teachable Spirit How John Calvin understood the Ten Commandments Erving Goffman's The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (pdf) More about Fuller Seminary's John Goldengay Roger Kneebone: The Path To Expertise and Why Experts Matter Understanding Erving Goffman's concept of Civil Inattention Dallas Willard's sermon: The Genius of Jesus, part 1 (video) Dallas Willard's Jesus the Logician (article) How Should Pastors Respond to Charlie Kirk's Assassination? (article) Scriptures Referenced: The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7 (ESV) Mark 12:30-31 (ESV) Deuteronomy 10 (ESV) Hebrews 13:2 (ESV) More From A.J. Swoboda: A.J. Swoboda and Nijay Gupta's The Slow Theology Podcast A.J. Swoboda's Low Level Theology Substack A.J. Swoboda's The Dusty Ones: Why Wandering Deepens Your Faith Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter The Good Faith Podcast is a production of Redeeming Babel, a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Redeeming Babel.
What if everything in your life—your peace, your relationships, your faith—flowed from one simple principle: what you choose to give and what you choose to take? That's the profound truth David Reed unpacks in his book Give and Take, a guide to living fully within God's design. Drawing from Scripture and the lives of David, Nehemiah, Daniel, the Apostle John, and others, David reveals how this principle shapes our salvation, strengthens us for spiritual warfare, and deepens our gratitude. Whether you're wrestling with forgiveness, seeking peace, or striving for spiritual growth, his insights remind us that what we offer to God and what we receive from Him defines the way we live. Today, David shares how the Give and Take principle can transform your daily walk with Christ, renew your mindset, and bring clarity to life's challenges. Quotes: “Everything we think, do, and experience flows from what we give and take.” “God's design equips us for salvation, peace, and victory.” “What you give to God—and what you take from Him—defines the way you live.” Resources: Get Give and Take by David Read on Amazon
Faith in Action: Hebrews 11:17–29In this episode of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane dive into Hebrews 11:17–29, highlighting the bold faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the Israelites. From Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac to Moses leading God's people through the Red Sea, each story demonstrates what it means to trust God against all odds. This powerful passage reminds us that faith isn't passive—it moves us to action, obedience, and courage. Be encouraged to step forward in your own journey of faith, believing God is faithful to His promises.____________________________________Connect with Jamie:Website: www.jamieklusacek.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacekConnect with Jane:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams____________________________________ Get Jamie's Newest Book:Living Loved: An 8-week Journey to Living Fully Loved
Discover the truth that you are not broken, not lacking, and not incomplete. In this inspiring YouTube talk, Rev. Lee Wolak, author of The Power in You, explores how to claim the inner power that has always been yours. Stop chasing outside approval, stop searching for missing pieces, and realize your wholeness is already here. Learn how to access presence, personal empowerment, and spiritual freedom right now. If you've ever wondered how to align with your true self and create the life you desire, this talk will show you the path. Sign up for my daily thought and weekly newsletter by clicking this link: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/free-affirmations If you find value in what Agape offers—spiritually, emotionally, and in community—consider becoming a supporting member. Your recurring contribution helps us continue to share truth, healing, and transformation with the world. Click here to become a supporter: https://www.agapespiritualcenter.com/recurring-contributions/
Today's podcast is a review of 10 powerful insights or as coach Gina calls them --Anxiety and Happiness Gems from Eckhart Tolle. Get a good idea of Eckhart Tolle's perspective on Anxiety and Happiness! Here is the original post of these gems: Eckhart-Tolles-10-Powerful-Insights-to-a-Happier-YouPlease visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors!https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/ Thank you for supporting The Anxiety Coaches Podcast. FREE MUST-HAVE RESOURCE FOR Calming Your Anxious Mind10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety Anxiety Coaches Podcast Group Coaching linkACPGroupCoaching.comTo learn more, go to:Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.comJoin our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership ProgramLearn more about our One-on-One Coaching What is anxiety? Find even more peace and calm with our Supercast premium access membership:For $5 a month, all episodes are ad-free! https://anxietycoaches.supercast.com/Here's what's included for $5/month:❤ New Ad-Free episodes every Sunday and Wednesday❤ Access to the entire Ad-free back-catalog with over 600 episodes❤ Premium meditations recorded with you in mind❤ And more fun surprises along the way!All this in your favorite podcast app!Chapters0:27 Introduction to Eckhart Tolle's Insights2:49 The Power of Present Awareness3:46 Understanding Thoughts and Reality5:25 Freeing Yourself from the Ego9:00 The Nature of Time and Presence9:55 Accepting the Present Moment12:12 Relationships and the Past12:49 Body, Identity, and Consciousness15:55 Finding Goodness Within17:06 The Choice of PeaceSummaryIn this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, we delve into the transformative insights of Eckhart Tolle, drawing from a compelling blog post that outlines "10 Powerful Insights to a Happier You." Throughout the discussion, I reflect on how Tolle's teachings have significantly impacted my own journey towards overcoming anxiety. His philosophy encourages us to identify and appreciate the hidden gems within our struggles, ultimately guiding us toward greater peace and happiness.We begin our exploration with the idea that seeking happiness can paradoxically lead to unhappiness. Tolle emphasizes that true happiness stems from facing our current realities rather than fabricating stories in our minds. By addressing the present moment and recognizing the stories we tell ourselves, we can reclaim our freedom from unhappiness. I highlight the importance of understanding how our thoughts shape our experiences and how anxiety often arises from our thoughts about future uncertainties rather than our immediate circumstances. Through practical examples, I encourage listeners to remain grounded in the facts of their lives, empowering them to take effective actions rather than succumbing to the stories of despair.As we proceed, we venture into the concept of separating our thoughts from the situations we face. I discuss Tolle's assertion that the primary source of our unhappiness often lies not in external circumstances but in our interpretations of those circumstances. By catching the inner voice that fuels our anxiety, we can cultivate a greater sense of awareness and autonomy in our responses. I emphasize the significance of developing a 'wise mind'—an observer that transcends our egoic thoughts—allowing us to engage more fully with our present experiences.#EckhartTolle, #AnxietyCoachesPodcast, #AnxietyRelief, #ThePowerOfNow, #Mindfulness, #PresentMoment, #InnerPeace, #SpiritualGrowth, #Consciousness, #MentalHealth, #SelfHelp, #OvercomingAnxiety, #StressManagement, #HappinessGems, #TheNow, #Ego, #BePresent, #PersonalGrowth, #EmotionalWellness, #Acceptance, #WiseMind #GinaRyan #ACPSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#divineguidance #manifestationmeditation #guidedsleepmeditation Introduction 0:00 - 2:00 2:00 - 28:00 CHAPTER 1. Letting Go of the Past: Releasing Old Relationships for Healing 28:00 - 41:00 CHAPTER 2. Attracting Financial Organisation: Cultivating a Prosperous Mindset 41:00 - 56:00 CHAPTER 3. Manifesting Abundance: Opening to Life's Blessings and Opportunities 56:00 - 01:23:00 CHAPTER 4. Chakra Cleansing: Restoring Energy Balance for Spiritual Growth 01:23:00 -01:42:00 CHAPTER 5. Opening Your Third Eye: Enhancing Intuition and Inner Wisdom 01:42:00- 01:55:00 CHAPTER 6. Divine Awakening: Embracing Your Authentic Self for Transformation 01:55:00 - 02:09:00 CHAPTER 7. I Do Not Need, I Deserve: Attracting What Is Rightfully Yours 02:09:00 - 02:25:00 CHAPTER 8. Healing and Vision: Protecting Your Energy and Cleansing Your Aura 02:25:00 -03:00:00 CHAPTER 9. Healing Sounds: Using Vibrational Frequencies for Deep Healing Let me help you reduce anxiety, fall asleep, cope with grief, and navigate through life through guided sleep meditations designed for restful sleep. It will be ok. Each session combines relaxation techniques with my calming voice to create a peaceful environment, allowing you to fall asleep fast and wake up rejuvenated. Discover effective strategies to enhance your sleep quality, manage anxiety, and cultivate peace. I integrate Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles into my content, offering practical insights to help you overcome sleep disorders and anxiety. Here, you will find a wealth of resources to support your journey toward better sleep and overall well-being. For additional support, I offer online counseling sessions as a certified counselor with a Master's in Counselling. Book a session through my SimplyBook.me page: [Book a Session]https://laurenostrowskifenton.simplybook.me/v2/ Connect with me on Patreon for exclusive content: [Join me on Patreon]https://www.patreon.com/laurenostrowskifenton Make a difference by contributing via PayPal: Donate Here]http://paypal.me/Laurenostrowski Follow my journey on Instagram for daily inspiration and updates: [Instagram] https://www.instagram.com/laurenostrowskifenton/ Explore my stories on Medium, where I share insights intertwined with life experiences: Medium https://medium.com/@laurenostrowskifenton Check out my book, "Daily Rituals For Happiness," an instructional workbook designed to help you cultivate happiness every day. Please remember, while my content is meant to provide support, it is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health guidance. Always consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice Original vocals and video by Lauren Ostrowski Fenton copyright © 2025 # sleepmeditation # guidedmeditation # fallasleepfast #personaldevelopment #deepsleep #mindfulness
Rick Strassman, MD, is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which is 2024's "My Altered States: A Doctor's Extraordinary Account of Trauma, Psychedelics, and Spiritual Growth."www.rickstrassman.com Buy 1 Get 1 Free Trucker Hat with code ROGAN at https://happydad.com Visit https://WildPastures.com/rogan today to get 20% off for life, plus $15 off your first box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices