Podcasts about Sticks and Stones

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of the Hodge Pack Sports Life and Everything in Between podcast Hodge, Josh and Misti have an amazing lineup of guests.Josh is back from vacation and talks what the Texas Rangers need to do as the trade deadline approaches. Phill Hill and Cory James from the Abilene Football Ref Association join the show to help recruit new officials. Phill and Cory also share a interesting new rule coming into effect this year. They also share some of their favorite stories.Misti's bag question, suggests some fun addition to kicking off games. What song should follow the National Anthem? Big Country Blitz's Cody Coil stops by with the upcoming Texas high school football season kicking off. Who are the surprise teams, players and storylines going to be this season?Avalynn Ramirez, is our Sport Clips player of the week. She shares what it is like playing for her mom and her love of softball.George Hightower hops on to promote Rebel Fest honoring the memory of his nephew. Plus much more. Support the show

Sticks and stones might break my bones.....

I want to focus on three key pressure points Daniel faced—and three of his friends did as well—as they were suddenly placed in a culture totally foreign to their faith in the God of Israel, the true God.   Pressure Point #1: A Change of Names and Diet  In Daniel one, we read how he and other Israelites, the brightest and the best, were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and brought to Babylon. They were assigned new Babylonian names. Daniel became Belteshazzar. And they were instructed to eat the royal diet, which was contrary to the dietary laws God had given the Israelites.   Nebuchadnezzar's plan was to transform these bright men into pagans, remove their Jewish identity, and get them to conform to the culture they were in. They would be more useful to him that way, he thought; they would do their best work and be more loyal to him if they abandoned their heritage and their faith.  Could a name change achieve that purpose? No, the only way Daniel and his companions would ever forsake their heritage, identity, and faith in the true God, would be a complete change of heart and mind. And a name doesn't affect the heart.  How did Daniel respond to this name change? We see no indication he objected in any way. This is where the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is true. “Call me what you like,” is Daniel's and his three friends' responses, because it wouldn't change who they were.  But how does Daniel respond to the dietary change? This does affect him, because he does not intend to abandon the dietary laws of his faith. For this he is willing to take a stand.  What do I take from this?   Pick your fights. There are some things worth standing up for and resisting, and some are not. Many times, we bring pressure and stress into our lives by allowing ourselves to be overly concerned about things which have no lasting value and make no real difference.   We must learn to distinguish between issues of integrity and issues of priority. For example, suppose you're facing an assignment which seems ludicrous to you, a waste of time and resources, an exercise in futility. You must pick your fight. You may determine the damage and wastefulness of the assignment is of such magnitude you must confront it. Or you may realize it's not worth the fight—it's too small. This is not an issue of integrity but one of priority.  On the other hand, if an assignment involves a lowering of your own personal standards of integrity, an abuse of company policy, or unfair service to a customer, now you are facing an issue of integrity. This is a fight worth taking on. How you approach it is another issue. But to stay true to biblical principles, fight you must.  Picking your fight doesn't mean you come on in a combative way. Proverbs 16:21 says: The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction. Pleasant words usually get you a lot further than words of confrontation or judgment.   How many times have you seen a good idea blown by the way it was presented? How many times have you watched a situation blow up into a major issue when, with a different approach, it could have been handled without a major conflict?   On the other hand, how many times have you seen someone back off a needed fight because he didn't have the stomach for it? He wimped out rather than stand up for what he knew was right.  In the pressure points of our lives, particularly on our jobs, we are continually faced with situations where we must pick our fights. We need God's wisdom to do this well, and thankfully, he promises to give us wisdom if we ask.   Pressure Point #2: Speaking Truth Under Pressure  In Daniel two, we learn how Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream none of his astrologers could interpret. He asked his wise men not only to interpret the dream, but also to tell him what the dream was. Talk about mission impossible! And you think you have a tough boss!  In frustration, retribution, and foolishness, Nebuchadnezzar condemns all the wise men to death because they can't interpret his dream. Daniel goes to bat to save the lives of all these people, recognizing how truly foolish and wrong it is to kill them. And then, after soliciting prayer from his friends, God reveals the dream to Daniel. He approaches the king, declaring he can tell the dream and its interpretation, and he does.  Can you put yourself in his shoes? God has revealed the dream to him, and it is very bad news for Nebuchadnezzar. He can save himself and all those wise men by telling the dream, but does he have to give him the interpretation, which Nebuchadnezzar won't like? Couldn't he fudge it a bit, when he describes this large statue and its meaning?   I would imagine he must have thought, “Either way I'm going to be killed. He will kill me if I don't tell him the dream, but when I do tell him the interpretation of this dream, he's going to kill me anyway.”  Yet, despite the pressure he is under, he chooses to tell the truth, as unwelcome as it might be. This really gets to where we live, doesn't it? Do you tell the truth regardless of the consequences? Do you do the right thing when it may not bring you any good—or it may harm you? In our own pressure points, where we must decide to tell it like it is or put some spin on it, are we, like Daniel, true to the truth, regardless of the consequences?  In Ephesians 6:14 we are told to Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…. Do you leave home each day with this belt on? It's invisible but it's obvious. When you wear the belt of truth, when you are committed to truthfulness, no matter what, it sets you apart from most of the people around you, and it takes a lot of stress out of your life. You don't have to worry about being found out or remembering exactly what you said. The truth will, as Jesus said, set you free.   Pressure Point #3: Facing Jealous Coworkers  In chapter six, we read the familiar story of Daniel and the lions' den. By this time Daniel was much older, at least in his 80s, and verse three says, Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.   Do good work and you're bound to generate jealousy. Have you found this to be true? Hopefully your good work will be recognized by those in authority, as was true for Daniel, but likely it will cause some jealousy as well. Is there anything you can do to keep this from happening?   Daniel didn't seem to be able to. His coworkers tried for a time to find grounds for charges against him in the way he did his work, but the Bible says: They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (Daniel 6:4).   An old preacher I knew used to say, “Do right ‘til the stars fall out.” Just do the right thing, and the right thing is to work with all your heart, do the best work you can, without corruption or negligence. Obviously the way in which we work, the attitude we have toward others, the way we treat people will have some bearing on how others treat us, but there are people who will hate and despise you because you do things right, because you have a good attitude, because you go the extra mile. It is true sometimes the more you do it right, the more some will look for ways to do you harm. Thankfully these people are usually few and far between, but it only takes one to cause you a great deal of grief and indeed, a great deal of potential harm.   How do you deal with jealous coworkers? Proverbs 27:4 says, Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? If you've ever had to face jealousy—people who were jealous of you simply because you did the right thing—then you can relate to this proverb. Who can stand before jealousy? That green-eyed monster is ferocious.  Daniel's peers were so jealous they devised a plan to get him killed, a clever plan that would make them look good to the big boss and get rid of their hated rival.  Don't be surprised at what jealous people will do, and how cleverly they will try to disguise their jealousy. Daniel could not stand before jealousy, as it turns out. He couldn't stop these malicious coworkers who were out to destroy him. They got their decree signed by Darius: anyone who prayed to any other god or man other than King Darius for the next thirty days would be thrown into the lions' den—and it was an irrevocable decree.   So, at this pressure point Daniel is faced with a choice: to compromise his faith and abandon his daily practice of praying to his God three times a day, with his windows open toward Jerusalem for all to see or face those hungry lions. Did you realize the decree simply said you couldn't worship anyone else for this thirty-day period? So, I'm thinking he could have shut the windows and prayed privately, or just figured, hey, thirty days is nothing; God will understand. I'll show these guys they can't catch me in their evil scheme. I just won't pray openly for thirty days. Isn't it interesting that his coworkers must have been certain he would not compromise his commitment to his God. They knew he would choose the lions' den!  Daniel never pleaded his case with Darius. He never bad-mouthed his evil coworkers. He never protested. He simply refused to change his prayer schedule; he refused to compromise.   Most likely you'll never have to face lions or threatened death for standing firm to your faith. But you could face the death of a job, a relationship, or a career plan. And that could be very costly for you. So, if you're facing some pressure points now—some areas where you must decide if you will stand true to your commitment to Jesus as your Lord and Savior—think about Daniel. Ask God to give you Daniel-courage, the courage to refuse to bend to the culture or be intimidated by their many unbiblical ideas and beliefs, regardless of how our culture has embraced their ways and ideas.  A friend of mine is going through a situation where, because she has been wonderfully born again and delivered from the deceit and lies of the culture, she is facing hatred and condemnation from family members and friends because she no longer agrees with those unbiblical ideas. She hasn't become militant or confrontational. She simply states what she believes when they state what they believe, and for that, she is considered unacceptable. She's paying a price for standing true to her faith, but instead of being angry, she's just so thankful God has shown her the truth and now she's praying for those who are still deceived as she was for so long.  I hope you will take time to read again the first six chapters of Daniel and see how he stayed true to his God amid a very secular and pagan society, in the face of very jealous and evil coworkers. We serve the same God, and he can deliver us as well. 

Shiloh Hendrix guilty verdict — and why the Shiloh Hendrix case should terrify every American, especially black Americans. Jason Whitlock breaks down how Minnesota convicted Shiloh Hendrix of disorderly conduct over a racial slur, turning a free-speech argument between two adults into a crime. Was this justice — or the criminalization of words? Jason traces black Christian resilience from Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington to the 1862 "sticks and stones" creed, exposes the double standard around the N-word in rap culture, and asks why we now run to Caesar instead of God. ➢ Show Outline 00:00 - ➢ Follow Our GUESTS https://www.youtube.com/@TheShemekaMichelle  https://x.com/VirgilWalker ➢ Subscribe to Jason's other channel https://www.youtube.com/JasonWhitlock?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockHarmony?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockBYOG?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.youtube.com/@JasonWhitlockClips?sub_confirmation=1 ➢ Connect with Jason on Social Media:  https://x.com/JasonWhitlock  https://www.instagram.com/realjasonwhitlock/ https://www.facebook.com/jasonwhitlock ➢ Send Jason an Email FearlessBlazeShow@gmail.com ➢ Support The Blaze Visit https://TheBlaze.com. Explore the all-new ad-free experience and see for yourself how we're standing up against suppression and prioritizing independent journalism. Support Conservative Voices! Subscribe to BlazeTV at https://www.fearlessmission.com and get $20 off your yearly subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I really think the saying “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me” is absolutely NOT true. Words can hurt you in many ways and you should think before you speak and post on social media. I give some examples and talk about some personal experiences I've had.

Many of us grew up repeating the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." While it may have been intended to build resilience, I've come to believe it's simply NOT true.In today's episode, I'm talking about why that saying is crap. The words we hear, and the ones we tell ourselves, shape what we believe and how we experience the world.The encouraging news? Those stories aren't permanent. Through neuroplasticity, we can build new pathways and choose thoughts that better serve us. If you've been carrying thoughts that no longer serve you, know that change IS possible.In this episode, I cover:How words shape our thoughts, beliefs, and reality + how repeated thoughts create permanent neural pathwaysHow limiting beliefs can be rewritten through neuroplasticityChanging your thoughts that you practice every day + pairing with grace & self-compassionPersonal examples of changing limiting beliefs in everyday lifeWhy releasing resentment starts with changing the story you tell yourselfHow small shifts in thinking can create lasting transformationMake sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!Find the complete show notes here: https://terryndrieling.com/sticks-and-stonesConnect with Terryn:Follow on Instagram @terryn.drielingCheck out my websiteSend me an email at terryn@terryndrieling.comResources & Links:Episode 143: Why Self-Awareness Is Important and Also SucksSchedule a free consult and see if 1:1 Good Movement Guidance is right for you – mention “castpod” when you book to receive 10% off!Check out my merch shopJoin the waitlist for the Good Movement CollectiveGood Movement music by: Aaron EspePodcast produced by: Jill Carr Podcasting

For our summer series we are back in our spiritual gifts series, "Empowered: Understanding & Exercising Spiritual Gifts." Part two of this series is looking at each of the spiritual gifts, how God uses them today, and how we discern which gifts we've been given.This fourth sermon in the series looks at some gifts that are tied together by the way God uses words to bless the recipients and why "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is bad wisdom to pass on to our kids.Scripture: Acts 9:20-30, Acts 11:22-26

When I was a young lad, the only ginger in my neighborhood and schools, making me a target, altercations arose between mismatched combatants that generally used words as weapons, with occasional flare-ups into fisticuffs. We attempted to ward off those words with the trite saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names can never hurt me." I think the saying may have been a shield, a psychological shield protecting our vulnerable psyches from the effects of warfare as old as humanity itself. I've learned over the years that the saying is half true and half utter nonsense.

Send me a Text Message!Sometimes we are tempted to think that words are just words. Right? We live in a world with a lot of words. Sometimes it feels like word overload. But is there really such a thing as "just words?" Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Remember that schoolyard ditty? We said it to try to convince ourselves that words couldn't hurt us, but we knew it was just a lie. Words can hurt. Words can bring life. Words can reshape a day, a year, even a life. And those are just our words. Think about the potential power of God-Words. God's words created the heavens and the earth. God's words bring healing. The words of Jesus were words of life. When it comes to God, there's no such thing as "just words."

The old saying has it backwards … words can hurt far more than sticks and stones. Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe shares a message about the weight of what we say to the people we love most. Families that learn to speak blessing create children who know exactly who they are. Whether you received this or not, you can still learn to give it …. listen to Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe. Bold Steps Gift: The Five Love Languages: Men's EditionBecome a Bold Partner: https://www.moodyradio.org/donateto/boldstepsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. That's Proverbs eighteen, twenty-one, and this is Something Good with Dr. Ron Jones. Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can crush your spirit. All the more reason to choose our words wisely, to build people up, not tear them down.

Justin and William witness the US Men's National Soccer Team failing to meet expectations again, a Brown University professor suspecting most of his class using AI to cheat, and ranking 2000s pop punk albums. Justin also reviews Moana.

July's Full Episode: Sticks and Stones (Spain)Story: Magda is just…so…BORED! And her boring-as-a-rock (in her opinion) older brother isn't helping. Good thing their neighbor is “not a witch.” (Even though she probably is.) Either way, there's nothing like a magic quest full of glitter caves, enraged lions, and enchanted birds to make sitting still without melting from boredom a breeze. Region: SpainSticky Situation: What do you do when you're feeling bored and impatient?Unstick Tricks by: Valentina (Age 7) and Hudson (Age 10)Feelings Focus: Coping with boredom; shifting focus; sitting with feelingsFor Our Long-time Storypillar Friends: Today's episode might sound familiar. That's because we've learned a lot over the past four years and decided to give some of our favorite episodes a fresh sound. We hope you enjoy this brand-sparkling new version…we made it just for YOU! ❤️We need jokes for our Summertime is Joke Time Special!

Message from Mac Harris on July 5, 2026

In this tenth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and fellow podcaster Cardsy B, aka Rebecca Szymczak (of Hex and the City Podcast). Not only is Rebecca a resident wellness witch in residence at a posh Manhattan hotel, but she's also a tarot deck creator, the author of the Saturn Diaries, and the creator of the INCREDIBLE new fragrance "Witch and Famous", which is made with organic, ethically-harvested herbs and flowers by a fellow female-owned business owner right here in the U.S.!This episode is equal parts bonus gift, season finale and interim season intro, so give it a listen on your July 4th weekend (and beyond) and take in the energy!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooCardy's LINKS:Linktree: https://bio.cardsyb.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardsyb/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

Doug Horchak discusses Proverbs 15:1—“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

In this ninth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with client, friend, and newly-anointed psychic channel Teresa Johnson all about the strange, strange journey from being a "normal person" to becoming your true psychic self.Teresa opens up the kimono on the good, the bad, and the cringe of what it's really like to transition from being a nurse practitioner, psychic, business owner and even corporate subject matter expert to "owning" her psychic gifts out loud and proud with the people in her life. Teresa is a perfect example of a Woo-based practitioner in the midst of a major transformation, and her story edifies the messy middle for those seekers (and psychics) looking for a way shower on exactly when, how and why to embrace the Woo as their life path!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooPlease note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this eighth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and astrologer extraordinaire Sam "The SkyGuy" all about planetary magic: how to do it, when to do it, and how to customize it to your unique natal chart- and annual astrological transits!Sam provides listeners a crash course in the background and fundamentals of chaos magic, ritual magic, and the specifics of how (and where) planetary magic fits into the big magic picture. Sam also digs into what big planets are making big moves this year, and how to harness their energies to amplify what's working-- and mitigate what's more challenging.Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Sam's Substack: https://skyguyreadings.substack.com/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

Pastor Taylor Shippy - James 3:1-12Have we forgotten the power of our words—or do we underestimate it? In James 3:1–12, Pastor James reminds us that our tongues may be small, but they possess tremendous power to direct lives, shape relationships, and even create worlds! Join us as we explore the power and responsibility of our words—and what it looks like to use them for blessing rather than destruction.

In this seventh episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with friend of the show and Skeptical Shaman podcast editor Natalie Fehlner (of Sidhe) all about Natalie's strange, strange journey into weird world of online dialogue-- and what it revealed about the spiritual reality underpinning surface-level ideology.Natalie experienced a pronounced spiritual trauma when accidentally encountering the hyper-violent images of Charlie Kirk's death online. While not a right wing Christian nationalist herself (I mean, Natalie is a fairy-channeling astrologer, poet and theater teacher, among other things!), she was gobsmacked by the reaction of "her team": the supposedly compassionate, open-minded, and ideologically consistent, spiritually-aware group to which she and many other Woo-based practitioners generally belong.Shocked by the cognitive dissonance of it all, Natalie did the unthinkable: she entered into the online colosseum to battle it out with anonymous faces (and voices) on the inter web. What she learned from this experience has not only served as a major spiritual and societal awakening for her, but also served as her inspiration to get educated and certified in cult awareness, ultimately setting out into the world to help deprogram her fellow humans that are ready to leave their distorted, ideological prison and enter the real world.Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Natalie's Substack: https://nataliesidhe.substack.com/?utm_source=global-searchNatalie's IG: https://www.instagram.com/nataliesidhe/Natalie's Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatalieSidhe Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this sixth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Review Raffle winner and *as luck would have it* experienced animal healer and communicator Alyson Ogimachi (of Phoenix Healing) all about her journey from being an animal groomer and "normal person" to talented animal psychic and healer.Alyson has spent years in real deal, bonafide animal communication and healing training programs, and just recently launched her own Woo-based business: Phoenix Healing! Alyson shares her rigorous training background, and chats about the very, very crucial need for ethics, boundaries, and standard operating procedures when working in the Woo- especially for fuzzy and feathered clients that can't speak up for themselves!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Alyson's website:  https://phoenix-healing.com/Alyson's IG: @phoenixhealingcommunication Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

No doubt you've heard the cliché, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Contrary to that little couplet, words can indeed hurt and they can hurt deeply. And you know, once words are spoken, they can never be unspoken. One of the most Christ-like things we can do is to think before we speak so our words don't hurt others. I've been encouraging all of us to make it a habit to think before we speak, and to help us remember to do that, we're offering you a bracelet which simply says think. By wearing it, it is my hope we will all get better at thinking about what we're going to say before we say it. Using the acronym of think, we've seen our words should be T – true, H – helpful, I – inspiring, N – necessary, and finally: K stands for kind: We need to think about how we can say what we have to say in a kind way. How many times have words been spoken to you in an unkind manner, and while the message itself was not necessarily a problem, the words or the tone of voice used to send the message were very hurtful. Oh, how important it is for us to think before we speak. Ask yourself, “How would I feel if someone said that to me?” Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up (Proverbs 12:25). When you're getting ready to speak, ask yourself if the words you will speak will cheer someone up, encourage an anxious heart. In Proverbs 15, we read a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. It is amazing to see the difference it makes when you think before you speak, and you choose words that are gentle and kind. Those words become words of life, and they are pleasing to the Lord Jesus. What do you think? Can we get serious about thinking before we speak? It will make us more like the Lord Jesus, and we'll be a much more effective witness for him. If our think wristband will help you to think before you speak, then please contact us and we'll send it to you.

In this fifth episode of the 11th season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Caitlin Gonzales, newly spiritually awakened friend of the fae and rural Louisiana homesteader who knows all about the shift from urban conformity to the feral borderlands-- both of the Woo and of Mother Nature!Like many of us in the time since Covid disrupted, well, everything, Caitlin has dramatically changed literally every aspect of her life, leaving a "normal" job to learn to homestead and embracing all things spiritual in the process, challenging her own, previous norms and assumptions while exploring agorism, witchcraft, the fairy realms, and more.Caitlin allowed for her spiritual awakening to expand out in orders of magnitude, and her story gives hope to all of us wishing, seeking and hoping for a better day-- and a better, more Woo world!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Caitlin's Substack: https://substack.com/@caitlingonzalesCaitlin's IG: https://www.instagram.com/itscaitlingonzales/ Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

Sunday 5.24.2026 10:30 AM Pastor Mark Jackson Family Proverbs   Sticks and Stones   Towne Church

In this fourth episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with long-time client (and fellow Chicagoan) Emily P. (of House of Lir), a lifelong psychic finally making the leap into the wild unknown of client-facing readings with her new, Woo-based business House of Lir.Emily has always been psychic, but it took a real deal (and very destabilizing) spiritual awakening to put everything into focus, making her natural physical mediumship, divination, and channeling capabilities an undeniable (and very weird) reality.This episode has it all: nonconsensual demon sex attacks, speaking on behalf of ghosts in crystal shops, and what it's really like to step into the weird world of doing psychic readings for others!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Website: HouseOfLir.net Email: emily@houseoflir.netTik Tok: @daughteroflir Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

“I'm rubber and you're glue. Whatever you say, bounces off of me, and sticks to you.” “Sticks and Stones may ‘break my bones,' but words will never hurt me.” I'm sure we remember those sayings as kids. Though taught that with good intentions, those sayings couldn't be further from the truth. - Your words are not mere enunciations with varying degrees of decibels,… They are seeds. They are swords. They are life, and sometimes, they are death. - They plant,  they cut, they uplift, and also teardown. Every word you speak is planting something—life or death, blessings or curses. In Part 3 of our series “Guard the Gates,” we're talking about the Mouth Gate—because what comes out of your mouth, reveals what's in your heart … and shapes what's ahead of you.  - You yourself, listening to me right now, just maybe.. might be living in unfortunate circumstances of this present time that were constructed and planted by words that were spoken to you in the past. This Sunday we will be confronting this very issue of ‘the weapons of our words', …or… ‘affirming' the ‘sweetness of our speech.' - We will corporately and unilaterally surrender our tongue to God. Together, we will learn how to align our words with the will of God, and begin speaking life over ourselves, others, and yes, even our enemies. Email Us:  info@heartofworshipchurch.com Visit Our Website:  www.heartofworshipchurch.com

In this third episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Jesse James Freeman and Jennifer Hotes of the Is AI The Devil? and the Curious Cat Podcasts all about the spiritual implications of our brave new techno-feudalist world. Was Rudolf Steiner right about Ahriman? Are there really ghosts (and demons) in the machine? How can we reclaim our sovereignty, human dignity, AND spiritual independence in a time such as this?Jesse and Jen offer their insights, gleaned from both the Woo and secular research, all while giving us some much needed (and realistic) hope for the future!Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooOur guests' links:Jesse's Substack: https://jessejamesfreeman.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsJennifer's Substack: https://jenniferhotes.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsThe Curious Cat Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/curious-cat/id1617885857Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

I believe this is a very good time to remindeveryone to pray for our military chaplains. First,pray for Dr. Steve Keith, who heads up the team of chaplains from the Liberty Baptist Fellowship.Then specifically, you can remember two chaplains we are very close to. One ismy son, Nathan Grooms, who is a U.S. Navy Chaplain and is presently deployed.Also, someone I call my adopted son, Shawn Taylor, who is an U.S. Air ForceChaplain. Shawn served as our worship leader for ten years at Rainbow ForestBaptist Church, and he is also presently deployed away from his family. Pleasedo pray for them and for all of our chaplains. Thenright here in the community where I live, in Sneads Ferry, we have the largeMarine Corps Base Camp Lejeune military base. I have two dear friends who workwith the military here. One is Justin Sterns, who does discipleship on basewith many of the Marines there. Then also Dave Mason, who has a ministry ofmilitary evangelism to the Marines here and provides a place where they cancome on Friday nights, listen to the Word of God, fellowship with one another,be encouraged, and walk as they should—not only as Marines, but as believersand followers of Christ. Both of these men are reaching others for Christ righthere in our community. Soplease pray for all our military today. Pray for our nation's leadership aswell, as we are living in a crucial time in our country especially with theconflict in the Middle East. Thank you again for your prayers. This shirtsimply reminded me to ask you to pray. Now,as we were studying Philippians chapter 2, especially verses 3 and 4, we readthese words: “Let each esteem others better than himself. Let each one ofyou not look out for his own interests only, but also for the interests ofothers.” As I read those two verses, I could not help but think again ofPsalm 15, which we have been studying together. Yesterday,we talked about what was in verse 2b: “He who speaks the truth in hisheart.” Now in verse 3, David moves to the use of our tongues: “He whodoes not backbite with his tongue.” The word “backbite” here means slanderor gossip. You know how much damage is done by careless words. We used to sayas children, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurtme.” But that is absolutely not true. Words can hurt more deeply than we canever imagine. Wordsare eternal. Once you say them, you cannot take them back. As a matter of fact,they are recorded in heaven because the Scripture says that one day we willgive an account for every idle word that comes out of our mouths (Matthew12:36). It is important what we say—and what we do not say. SoPsalm 15 says: “He who does not backbite with his tongue.” We are not tobe backbiters, slanderers, or gossipers. Proverbs 18:21 says: “Death and lifeare in the power of the tongue.” A believer who walks closely with God mustguard his speech. Gossip destroys friendships, churches, and testimonies. Thatis why Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:29—a passage we studied a few months ago: “Letno corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessaryedification.” Insteadof tearing people down, we should be building them up for the glory of God. Ipray that the Lord will help us do that. The way to do that is to think goodabout people—to think positively about people. As Oswald Chambers said, weshould see every person in Christ, or every person needing Christ. Then we canbecome people who encourage others and build them up rather than tear themdown, despite what they may say or do against us. We do not retaliate and saywhat we should not say. Remember,the Scripture says that when Jesus was reviled, He reviled not again (1 Peter2:23). And His last words about those who crucified Him were: “Father,forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). May the Lordhelp us to live that way.

In this second episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Renee Puvvada (of Smoking Hot Books) about the writerly window of opportunity being presented by the unique and dynamic Fire Horse Year: a year that welcomes, supports and celebrates unique voices, authentic storytelling and independent publishing.Renee Puvvada failed at four books, lost $20k, and then sold 10,283 copies in a single year with 183 Instagram followers. Now, as founder of Smokin' Hot Books, she helps soul-led entrepreneurs turn their self-published books into authority-building, business-growing assets, all while you keep full rights and royalties. Jack Canfield noticed. Your future clients will too.Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooRenee's Links:Book a call with Renee here: https://smokin-hotbooks.com/get-in-touchConnect on Substack: https://smokinhotbooks.substack.com/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneepuvvada/?hl=enOn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-puvvada/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this inaugural episode of Season 11 of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Gabrielle Celeste (of Agua Astrology), combining their superpowers to form some kind of Chinese and Western Astrology Megazord, offering listeners insights into what to expect in the dynamic Fire Horse Year (2026)...and beyond!Rachel and Gabrielle discuss the incredible spiritual awakening that cascaded over the land as a result of the global pandemic, digging into how this trend is evolving in real time in a post-pandemic landscape-- and how listeners can best navigate these novel energies and the Business of Woo (with their own discernment).Gabrielle Celeste is an Intuitive Astrologist who has conducted over 750 channeled astrology readings. She is the co-host of internationally recognized podcast, The Spiritual Sisters Podcast, and owner of Agua Astrology.Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:Buy The Business of Woo book HERE: https://a.co/d/0g7EFJmMTOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooGabrielle's Links:Website: www.aguaastrology.comCourses: https://aguaastrology.teachable.com/p/home-aguaastrology-teachable-comEtsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/aguaastrology/2026 Year Ahead Workshop: https://aguaastrology.myflodesk.com/wth7dkypi6Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aguaastrology/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this weeks episode we touch onNew Music(Iceman Coming)NBA Playoffs The new currencyStreamer Harassing the Black community

Bernie Pfelger goes head to head with an office bully who has it in for Temps. Can he win her over with his childlike charm or will sticks and stones break his bones? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bernie Pfelger goes head to head with an office bully who has it in for Temps. Can he win her over with his childlike charm or will sticks and stones break his bones? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thought-provoking podcast, Cindy and Jeffrey explore the power of language, perception, and choice, and how to discern whether we're hearing truth or simply the voice of the ego. Cindy channels the Egyptian god Thoth who contributes his wisdom to the conversation. If you've ever questioned what words really mean, or how much power they hold, this is your invitation to listen differently!

Frank sits down with Aaron Cohen and Alex Schumacher to talk about Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special, a new comic centered on the Feynman family and their holiday misadventures. The conversation gets into how Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim shaped the book, why Ben makes such a strong lead, and how the team blends Jewish specificity with themes that feel familiar to anyone who grew up in a loud, loving family. Aaron and Alex also break down the book's comic strip DNA, the warmth behind its humor, and why this world has room to grow far beyond holiday stories. Timestamps and Topics 00:00 Introduction and welcoming Aaron Cohen and Alex Shoemaker 00:37 What Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special is about, the Feynman family, and why releasing during Passover feels right 02:12 Representation, family traditions, and how the story connects Jewish identity with universal family experiences 03:29 Visual inspiration behind the book, including Sunday newspaper strips, classic cartooning, and old-school comic energy 05:41 Family memories, Passover traditions, and how real holiday experiences shaped the tone of the story 07:37 Why Passover felt like the perfect setup for a mystery story 08:09 Comic strip storytelling, all-ages humor, and the influence of books the whole family can enjoy together 09:45 Ben's deeper motivation and why wanting a seat at the adult table gives the story emotional weight 11:09 Ben's oversized suit, kid noir energy, and how his design reflects a child trying to act bigger than he is 12:18 Why Ben became the center of the story and how his imagination drives the whole book 15:03 Expanding the Feynman family, new characters, and future story possibilities 16:26 Protecting family, immigrant community parallels, and why the book feels relatable beyond one specific culture 22:38 Ralph's coloring, visual warmth, and how the page design supports the story's emotional center 28:47 Future plans for Sticks and Stones beyond holiday stories 32:30 Final thoughts on Ben and the larger story potential of this world 32:54 Rapid fire questions, favorite characters, and what holiday the family should tackle next Key Takeaways Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special uses Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim to tell one connected family story. Ben works as a lead because he sees himself as the star of his own detective movie, which gives the book a playful inner voice. The creative team wanted the comic to feel deeply Jewish while still speaking to anyone who has experienced a big, chaotic family gathering. The visual style pulls from classic newspaper strips, animation, and old all-ages comics. Humor is treated as an act of love, not just a punchline, which gives the book its warmth. The team clearly sees this family as a long-term storytelling world, not just a one-off holiday concept. Future stories could move beyond holidays and into everyday family life, school stories, and more character-focused adventures. Memorable Quotes "There's something universal in specificity." "Ten people around a long table for two hours is a great place for a murder mystery." "What he really wants ultimately is to be respected and be a part of the family and to be at the adult table and be taken seriously." "You don't joke with someone and you don't gag with someone who you don't care about." Call to Action If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave us a review, and share the episode on social media using #GeekFreaksPodcast. That support helps more listeners find the show and keeps these conversations going. Links and Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com This is the source of all news discussed during our podcast. Check out Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special Follow Us Follow Geek Freaks for more interviews, reviews, and geek culture coverage. Instagram: @geekfreakspodcast Twitter: @geekfreakspod Threads: @geekfreakspodcast Facebook: Geek Freaks Podcast Patreon: Geek Freaks Podcast Listener Questions Have a question, guest suggestion, or topic you want us to cover in a future episode? Send it our way and let us know what you want to hear next. Sticks and Stones, Holiday Special, Aaron Cohen, Alex Shoemaker, comic books, indie comics, Jewish comics, Passover, Hanukkah, Purim, family comics, all ages comics, Geek Freaks Podcast

By Edward Emery - Words are powerful. They can lift up - and they can tear down. As Christians, what words do we use when we talk to others? Where do our words come from? We examine this in this message.

Daniel and Wilbur return to the SHACK to embrace the thing we love most in this country... FREE SPEECH! We are the last country on the planet with true free speech, and those rights are dared to be infringed upon every single day in this country. Take this Afroman case for example, they dared to stop him from expressing his thoughts. Whatever happened to "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."? Did that disappear? It used to make me mad as a kid until I embraced it and I toughened up! That's what we need, more tough individuals ready to stand up for their rights and eat roller dogs at gas stations. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me" is a familiar childhood chant to many from the 80's. It's also wrong. Our words can do great evil – both to us and to others. This is dangerous ground regularly exploited by the enemy. Yet our God is greater and his plans for us are good. In this passage, the One who made our mouths reminds us of the tremendous power they hold and calls us to a faith-filled, love-fueled use of the tongue.

In this eighth episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Craig Moyer, freelance copywriter, advertising expert, novelist, and all around "creative" about our post-AI (and post-human) billionaire-led world-- and how best to navigate it!Craig's recommendation? Tackle the bad guys (and evil forces) with a sharp sense of humor, like he did in his mock ad campaign for the recent World Economic Forum conference in Davos, titled: "Let them eat snake!", a hilarious riff on Marie Antoinette's famous line: "Let them eat cake!".Craig, a consummate writer of text both short and long, takes listeners through how he's using his creative gifts to speak truth to real power-- and how to resist the dread of our modern world by engaging in the ultimate act of rebellion: creating art. Rachel and Craig also discuss Rachel's favorite city, New Orleans, which also happens to be Craig's home-- and even dig into where to eat, drink, and how best to enjoy this particular spiritual center.Rachel's LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooCraig's Links: Website: https://www.craigpmoyer.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-moyer-0103479/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

The Hurdle of Unforgiveness Recap – Pastor Jared has been sharing over the past few weeks about the hurdles to our faith sharing and asking to evaluate us where we are in these potential hurdles and how they are impeding us? Are we attempting to live a saved life without actually giving our life to Jesus, have we fully surrendered and received the gift of sanctification that frees us from a desire to live in the depths of sin, and then he reminded us the destruction that even a little bit of sin will bring to our lives (or our water!). This morning, we will look at another hurdle that often impedes our faith. This hurdle is one that will keep us bound, keep us stuck, cause physical illness, and even paralyze us in hopes to hurt another – the hurdle of unforgiveness. I don't want you to stop listening before we even dive in this morning so I want to speak to those of you in the room that may have suffered deep betrayal, hurt, or abuse – whatever your story – forgiveness is essential BUT is not forgetting, it is not validating a persons poor choices. Forgiveness is not an invitation to more hurt, it is an invitation in Christ for healing. It does not even require reconciliation it is an invitation to our release and restoration. And though it does not require reconciliation with those relationships that need boundaries or are no longer continued at all– I will also remind you that all relationships this side of heaven at some point will require forgiveness – even the best ones. PRAY When I heard we were going to tackle hurdles to our faith – I chuckled as I remembered in middle school being asked by a friend if I would run track with her and be on her hurdle relay team – I think that is what its called. We ran with our batons and passed it as we also ran and jumped over the hurdles. We even went home with a metal from a huge track and field event that we had the opportunity to participate in. Wow! Cant you just see me jumping over hurdles with ease? Me neither, not now. It is only a fond memory, and I can only think of the physical pain that would result if I attempted anything remotely like that now. For me it feels more like a wall than difficulty or an obstacle. Do we feel the same way about forgiving those in our lives that have wronged us. It is more than a hurdle – it's a wall, it feels impossible. You may be thinking to yourself, You don't know what I've been through, what they did, what they said – if I forgive I will give freedom to hurt me again, it will validate their behavior, or they don't deserve it. Forgiveness is a gift … a gift I just can't give them. And for those moments you carry – I am truly sorry. This is a tough message but one with deep hope on the other side. FORGIVENESS is a GIFT that we have all been given the opportunity to receive, and one we CERTAINLY don't deserve. Isaiah 53:5 "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed". We have all been given opportunity for forgiveness of our sins through his name - through his wounds. All of us simply by believing, by receiving. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. Ephesians 1:7 This is the foundation of our faith – the gift we are given through Christ. He bought our redemption by his blood, his sacrifice allows for the forgiveness of our sin according to the riches of His incredible, indescribable grace. We have (present tense) redemption as we say yes to him and invite him in. If you have not received him as your Savior – that is the most important message of forgiveness that you should hear this morning. He died to provide forgiveness for our sins, to provide redemption when we do not deserve it, when we will never deserve it. That's what makes it the greatest gift. Receiving this gift available to us is foundational to our Christian faith. As we walk out our journey, recipients of this grace, we will be faced with our own decisions to forgive. You may feel the nudge of the holy spirit in you saying okay it's your turn! You know the elbow nudge that parents give their kids when they want them to listen to what the Pastor is saying or want to spur them on to take a step of courage toward what is good? Let's take a look at scripture. Join me in Matthew 18:21-35 – key verses will be on the screen Matthew 18:21-35 New International Version The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a] 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,' he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,' he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” Now, lets flip back a few chapters to Matthew 6 where we find Jesus giving his sermon on the mount – specifically in verse 9 – 13 where he gives us the Lords prayer – every line giving us a direction as to a child Its says 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]' And goes on to say: 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. This my friends is a command for those of us in Christ. It is a command and any command he gives – He will equip us and we can trust it is for our good. He does not direct us this way to harm us but to heal us. This command ultimately is for our freedom. What if we say no ? What does it look like to remain in unforgiveness? Take a look at this picture on the screen. This is a picture of Kudzu – this is an ornamental plant intended for shading porches, and later promoted in the 1930s-1950s as a crucial solution for soil erosion control. While now considered a major invasive pest in the U.S., it was initially treated as a beneficial agricultural tool. It is now known as “the vine that ate the south”. I remember as a little girl seeing this along sections of route 11 in the little town I grew up in – always fascinated at how it covered everything. It starts out as this small plant with one intended purpose to shade and protect. and then it becomes a invasive vine that overtakes forests, structures, and all the beauty around it. It overtakes the trees by smothering them, blocking sunlight, and creating excessive weight that breaks branches or uproots them. Unforgiveness is the root of bitterness and just like we see here, it takes over, it festers and it suffocates us both physically, emotionally, and spiritually – we become just like these trees… trapped. HURDLES Physically – this root – it will make us ill. Bitterness settles in as anger and resentment. It causes us to live in constant in a mode of fight or flight. Leading to constant changes in our heart rate, blood pressure, and immune response. These changes increase the effects of depression, heart disease and diabetes. Now not everyone suffering from these illnesses are the result of unforgiveness – but for many it is the very reason. Emotional bondage becomes another trap. We believe we are holding something over another for hurting us – causing them some sort of discomfort, vengeance or harm – when truly we are not at all – the only person we are hurting is ourself. It can cause us to be harsh, sarcastic, condemning – leading to nasty distorted thinking toward others…even toward those it is not intended for. Have you ever heard the quote? "Holding onto anger/unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die” And this bitter root of unforgiveness also effects our spiritual life in a crippling way– hindering our relationship with God – causing us to miss his grace. Holding on to unforgiveness depletes our ability to have peace and joy. We live in a cycle of judgement and condemnation – missing yet again out on the mercy our Savior desire to show us. James 2:12-13 says Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. And ultimately, it will hinder our connection and conversation with Jesus. These effects my friends are soul injuries. So lets revisit our Matthew text… First we saw Peter asking – how many times do I have to forgive my brother or sister if they sin against me? He asks 7x? No – replies the Lord 70 x7. Jesus is correcting Peter here – saying, “STOP! Forgiveness should not be limited by a number. Essentially, he is saying “as many times as it takes”. Limitless forgiveness. He then gave a view of what the kingdom of heaven is like – a king who forgave a servants unfathomable-crippling debt (200,000 years' worth of wages) and then when the servant had a the opportunity to forgive a debt that was 600,000 times less than the debt he was just forgiven- he refused. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,' he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” We are reminded that our Lord us expects us to forgive as he forgives – even when forgiving seems unfathomable. As we saw in the Sermon on the Mount he repeats this command to us, when he teaches us to pray… Lets pray the Lords prayer together using phrases debts and debtors. Right in the middle of the prayer where we are being taught to pray – the importance of forgiveness is reiterated. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Our release, our forgiveness matters. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 What would it look like today if the only forgiveness and grace you received was the same grace and forgiveness you gave others? You know the old adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" … the one we sang on the playground but along the way we discovered it was a lie. We don't have to pretend it doesn't hurt – we just don't want to hold onto the offense so it continues to hurt us more. Forgiven people, forgive people. -Dave Wilson What has a greater impact in our lives, the abundant grace of forgiveness God has given us or the root of unforgiveness living in us. Forgiveness is not a condition of our salvation, but a expectation as a result of the gift we have been given in Him. (REPEAT) If the unwillingness to forgive grips us – it begs us to ask if we fully grasp what he has done for us in Christ. This command is ultimately to our benefit because our Lord wants us to live in freedom, peace, and on a path to healing. He again will be our help through the power of his holy spirit. WE can simply begin by asking him to search our hearts. Lets watch this together. – PRODIGAL SON VIDEO Our Lord does not ask us to forgive to hurt us – he asks us to forgive for our healing and his glory. He says hang out your white sheet, pull up the roots of bitterness – I have more for you. As we sing, lean into him – pressing in trusting him to meet you here. The alters are open as we sing – there will be people in the back to pray with you.

In this seventh episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Bobby Fierro of Wild Raven Tarot: a "TarotTuber" of the highest order who livestreams and posts truly incredible, engaging and very, very real tarot content for the masses to enjoy!Not only does Bobby bring the fun and joy of tarot to the masses with his 420 Tarot, Behind the Cards, and Fool's Journey YouTube series, but he also lives his personal spiritual practice in a real deal coven-- serving the coven as their resident "Black Dog": the resident "bouncer" and protector of the witches' coven, working to ensure peace and tranquility in the community.Bobby is also a devotee of Hecate and Hermes, and shares insights into their impact as Spirit Guides in his life as a person AND a practitioner-- including a funny story about what happens when you try to multitask during your daily devotions on their altars;)Bobby also shares some of the unique challenges and points of frustration with being in the Business of Woo, serving as powerful instruction for anyone considering taking the leap to become a full-time, client-facing tarot practitioner. Spoiler alert: people don't want to pay you-- and boundaries become a full-time work stream!LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooBobby's Links: YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WildRavenTarotPlease note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this sixth episode in our dude-only season of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Ryan Hurd: a dream educator, creator of the Dream Studies website (and work), and author of the incredible Archeology of Consciousness Substack!Hilarious plot twist: Rachel and Ryan actually recorded a previous episode that seems to have entered a permanent, liminal state, with multiple "tracks" still "uploading"-- for the last two months-- to the online recording studio! And, while that may just sound like a standard tech glitch, odds are: it's something more!Why? Well, because like the second conversation that all of you get to listen to and enjoy, the topic of discussion is all things liminal, transient, dreamlike, and ephemeral! The best part? Ryan doesn't even remember the first conversation, proof positive that our memory of our reality is, well, a bit fuzzy-- even to the most adept dream weaver!This discussion dives into Ryan's research into sleep, lucid dreaming, dream talismans, and how we can use the other half of our life-- spent with eyes closed, laying in bed, traveling to other realms-- to enhance and improve our waking reality.LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooRyan's Links: Website: https://dreamstudies.org/Substack: https://ryanhurd.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chipsPlease note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

'In a time of persecution of Christians, many of the faithful fled to the mountains and caves. The mother of this Codratus did so. She was pregnant at that time, and gave birth to Codratus in a forest, dying almost at once. He was kept safe and fed by the providence of God and his guardian angel. Codratus grew up in solitude with nature. He who gave manna from heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness released a sweet dew from a cloud onto the mouth of the child Codratus. When he was twelve years old, he went down to the town, and there some good people took a fancy to him and educated him. He studied medicine and then began to heal the sick, using both natural medicines and, more importantly, the spiritual power and prayer which had been with him from childhood. When a new persecution arose under Decius, Codratus was taken for trial and thrown into prison. Five of his friends stood beside him and confessed the name of Christ. They were: Cyprian, Dionysius, Anectus, Paul and Crescens. They were all dragged through the streets and struck with sticks and stones by the unbelievers, especially by the children, until they arrived at the scaffold. Here the martyrs prayed to God and were beheaded with the sword. A spring of water gushed out onto the earth at the spot, which to this day is called by Codratus' name and commemorates the heroic death for Christ of the holy six. They suffered with honour for the truth in Corinth in the year 250, in the time of the Emperor Decius and his governor Jason.' (Prologue)

In this fifth episode of The Skeptical Shaman's tenth, all-dude season, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with James Jude of James Jude Tarot and the LA Festival of Tarot : a client-facing tarot reader, teacher of all things tarot, and retired PR expert who worked on the Conjuring and Annabelle movie franchises (of all things)!Like Rachel, James started out as a non-believer in all things Woo, but slowly came around to the reality of the unseen world of spirit while working in PR for a series of major horror movies inspired by the real life events surrounding Ed and Lorraine Warren: the famous paranormal researchers at the center of the Annabelle, Amityville and the Enfield Poltergeist cases. James shares his on-set experiences, as well as conversations with skeptical observers, and how this evolved his perspective on all things Woo-- and supernatural.But it's not all demons, dolls or poltergeists! Rather, James found that these experiences drew him to the very supportive and not-at-all-scary world of tarot-- and he's since become a bonafide subject matter expert in all of the historical and technical aspects of this divinatory tool. James is EVERYTHING that the world of tarot needs: a perpetual student, inspired by limitless curiosity, who takes his craft-- and your tarot reading-- very, very seriously. LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooJames' Links: Website: https://www.jamesjudetarot.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/jamesjudetarot/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

In this fourth episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with Brian Maierhofer: a working therapist that explores myth, madness, meaning, and how our greatest wounds can become our greatest gifts with his incredible Liminal Means Substack. Rachel and Brian chat all about the myth of the Fisher King and his wound-- and how we, as a people, need to heal our collective wounds, too. But how can we heal? How can society start to right itself? Stop screaming at each other? Stop policing each others' words and thoughts or personal political or religious beliefs?Well, as Brian shares, we can start by understanding the mechanism at the root of this wound: a very particular shift in brain activity that comes along with long-term adrenal fatigue and the anxiety-inducing psychological thought reform made possible by social media and corporate news. But Brian doesn't just identify the issue-- he also walks us all through how we can do a simple, sustainable AND TOTALLY FREE exercise to put our nervous systems-- and our brain-- back into the driver's seat. We can all actually transmute our wounds into our medicine-- and our superpowers. But, first, we have to take a look at them-- and actually f*cking do something to heal them ourselves.LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooBrian's Links: Substack: http://brianmaierhofer.substack.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/brian.maierhoferPlease note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.

Episode 517 / Andy WollAndy Woll was born in Los Angeles, California and received a BFA from Otis College of Art and Design. His solo exhibitions include, The First Turn of the Screw at Night Gallery in Los Angeles, California (2021); Strange Animal at Denny Dimin Gallery in New York City (2020); Passage at Night Gallery in Los Angeles, California (2018); and Western Wear at Denny Gallery in New York City (2018). he's shown in group exhibitions including Pipe Dream at Uffner Liu Gallery and Night Gallery in New York City (2016); Sticks and Stones at Night Gallery, (2016); Pairs at Monte Vista Projects in Los Angeles, (2016); and Dave Muller's Three Day Weekend at Blum and Poe in Los Angeles, (2015).In 2007, Andy was the recipient of the Saul and Sally Fifer Bernstein/Friends of Joe Mugnaini Award for works on paper. 

In this third episode of The Skeptical Shaman podcast, host Rachel White (of TOTEM Readings) chats with "Alexis Vale", aka Alan Furth-- the mind behind the incredible Hidden Frameworks Substack, sharing his own meandering explorations in the realm of synchronicity, serendipity, and the ancient concept of Wu Wei: the "invisible river" flow state that we can fall into such that it carries us along-- without us needing to force it!In this episode, Rachel and Alexis discuss the long and strange journey that comes along with following the breadcrumbs out of a life in corporate captivity-- and just how magical and disorienting it can be to listen to your intuition instead of just your logical mind. Am I going through a spiritual awakening and following my soul's purpose, or am I going through a nervous breakdown and need to check myself in somewhere?The difference between these two possibilities when you're "in the messy middle" is a lot more subtle, nuanced and fungible than you would think, so it takes a lot of courage and self-belief to keep on meandering out of the prescribed loop society set out for you and, instead, make your way to the feral borderlands of the Woo.Alexis' story is so engaging because it's still unfolding-- and publicly, on his incredible Substack and via his alter ego, named Alexis!LINKS:TOTEM Readings Website: https://www.totemreadings.comTOTEM Readings Substack: https://totemrach.substack.comRachel's Other Links: https://linktr.ee/totemrachPlease support the Sponsors of The Skeptical Shaman Podcast:TOTEM + PUCK HCKY Merch Drop: https://puckhcky.com/collections/totemThe TOTEM Flower Essence Deck: https://a.co/d/gw16LsGThe TOTEM Flower Essences: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TotemReadingsATXTOTEM Spiritual Transformation Coaching: https://www.totemreadings.com/coachingTOTEM Business of Woo Mentoring: https://www.totemreadings.com/business-of-wooAlexis' Links: https://substack.com/@alexisvalehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alanfurth/Please note: The views and opinions expressed on The Skeptical Shaman do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, protected class, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. And remember: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—or discussions of religious or spiritual topics-- will never hurt us.