Podcasts about Tears

When people think of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, they often picture tweedy Oxford professors and beloved fantasy authors. But their writing wasn't drawn only from their bucolic days teaching at Oxford and walking in the English countryside; it had a darker, deeper backdrop: the trenches of World War I and the cataclysm of World War II. Lewis and Tolkien weren't just fantasy writers — they were war veterans, cultural critics, and men with firsthand knowledge of evil, heroism, and sacrifice.In today's episode, I'm joined by Joseph Loconte, returning to the show to discuss his latest book, The War for Middle Earth. We explore how both world wars shaped the perspectives of Tolkien and Lewis, found their way into works like The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, and infused their literary masterpieces with moral weight, spiritual depth, and timeless themes of resistance, friendship, and redemption. We also talk about the legendary friendship between Tolkien and Lewis, the creation of the Inklings, and how the men demonstrated the countercultural power of imaginative storytelling.Resources Related to the PodcastRelated AoM podcasts:#178: The Inklings Mastermind Group#272: Lewis, Tolkien, and the Myth of Progress (Loconte's first appearance on the AoM podcast)#430: Why You Need to Join the Great Conversation About the Great Books#499: A Fascinating Primer on Norse Mythology #594: How Churchill (and London) Survived the Blitz of 1940#723: Men Without Chests#765: C.S. Lewis on Building Men With Chests#951: The Hobbit VirtuesRelated AoM articlesThe Power of Conversation: A Lesson from CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien Lessons in Manliness from Viking Mythology Lessons in Manliness: The HobbitMen Without Chests“Blood, Sweat, and Tears” speech by Winston Churchill4 Classic Chapter Books to Read Aloud With Your KidsRelated outside articles:Tolkien's Deadly Dragons Munich AgreementOwen BarfieldTolkien books mentioned:The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Beowulf translated by Tolkien The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings Beren and Luthien Letters from Father Christmas Lewis books mentioned:The Letters of C.S. Lewis The Collected Poems of C.S. Lewis The Pilgrim's RegressThe Chronicles of NarniaThe Great DivorceThe Screwtape Letters The Space Trilogy The Four LovesMere Christianity The Reading Life Related books by other authors:Tolkien and the Great War by John GarthThe Somme by Martin GilbertThe Guns of August by Barbara TuchmanThe Future of an Illusion by Sigmund FreudThe Aeneid by VirgilPhantastes by George MacDonaldThe Vinland SagasThe Iliad and The Odyssey by HomerThe Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas MaloryConnect With Joseph LoconteJoseph's websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While Super Mario was my favorite video game franchise growing up, Zelda replaced it pretty quickly once I discovered Twilight Princess and Wind Waker in the late 2000s. Thiis was followed by about a decade of not having a functioning Nintendo system, but when I bought a Switch I mostly played Breath of the Wild and now mostly Tears of the Kingdom. I'd already written a song about older Zelda games years ago, which I was fortunate to have played on the Dr. Demento show, but every once in a while I'd wonder why I'd spent so much time playing the open world games without writing a song about them. And yet nothing came to mind until Pink Pony Club had been one of the most popular songs in the United States (and probably the world) for a while and it spent a good deal of time running through my head, and then I came up with the basic idea of how the inventory (Link's Load of Stuff) in Tears of the Kingdom seemed too heavy for even the strongest of heroes to carry. It took a while from the moment of inspiration until finishing, but it's here now and I hope you like it. As should be apparent, it's not me on the vocals, but someone I've hired before to anonmously provide vocals for parodies I've written.

Episode 2519. Dead ambition. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace

The Time Riders: Part 10 Egyptian Acheology, In Real Time. Based on a post by BiscuitHammer, in 16 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Mark felt a cold chill, but also was strangely assured that she didn't begin screaming. If anything, she sounded vaguely amused. He didn't come out, but he pushed one of his hands through the linens and waved at her. "Silly," she giggled, still smirking. "You might as well come out, because all I have to do is scream if I want help. I'm not afraid of anyone stupid enough to break into the personal chambers of a devotee of the goddess." Mark took a deep breath and walked out from beneath the linens, stopping and looking down at her, blushing at getting caught. She looked up him curiously, although she was still clearly amused, and made no attempt to cover her nudity. "You're a slave," she remarked, noting his attire. "What compelled you to hide in my room?" What was the point in lying? "I was hoping to fuck a Vestal," he confessed, shrugging and turning his palms to her in a gesture of honesty. "That's the simple truth." She raised an eyebrow. "That's brazen of you. You know we're all virgins on purpose, right? We took a sacred vow." Mark shrugged again. "Everyone has needs and urges, even sacred virgins." Aemelia giggled. "I suppose that's true. But why would; excuse me, I don't know your name, slave." "Bonosus." "Well, then, Bonosus," she intoned, setting her arm on the edge of the basin and then resting her head against two fingers while she observed him, more than a little intrigued. "What makes you think a sacred virgin of mighty Rome would want to fuck a slave, if she were indeed subject to such base desires as you describe?" "Well, you wouldn't need to take a vow if you weren't subject to them, would you?" he reasoned. "And as to why;” He slowly slipped off his ragged tunic, leaving him naked. Aemelia's eyes widened slightly as his cock came into view. "Woof," she muttered to herself as she fixated on his limp cock. "Your father, is he Bacchus, or a satyr? Because only a god or a creature of sin should be lavished with a prong like that." "Interested?" he asked, smirking back at her. "Because if you're not, maybe Marcia or Licinia would be willing to make use of me if you're not' "Hold on, now," the blonde interrupted in a quiet but calm voice, holding up her hand. "I didn't say that. All I asked was what you had to offer that a sacred virgin would be willing to compromise her vows for. And that thing makes up for a lot of sacred vows;” She rose slowly, the water cascading down her body. Not surprisingly, as a sacred virgin, her cunt was unshaved, but her wet hairs were rather light and sparse, the same color as her honey hair. "Um, you're eighteen, right?" Mark asked, wondering for a moment. Aemelia gave him a wry look, her hands moving up to her tits. "I am. A little more, in fact. Is that a problem? Am I too old for you to want to fuck me?" "No, I'm perfectly okay with you being eighteen," he assured her. "Kinda counting on it, in fact." "Well, that is good to hear," she said, allowing her hands to fall away from her tits and exposing herself again. She seemed strangely shameless, which was no doubt quite a trick to hide in these environs. "It'd be one thing for me to reject you, but it would be unthinkable for me to be rejected by a mere slave. And if you were indeed intent on someone younger, I would have to summon Lucia or Domi' "Nope, I'm intent on you, if you're willing," Mark said firmly, smiling as she watched his cock swelling slowly. He wasn't getting hard, but he was getting aroused, and it had the desired effect on his potential partner. Aemelia bit her lip as she watched his cock grow. "Normally, I just pleasure myself in the bathing basin, since it is easy to hide," she said as she stepped out of the water and walked over toward the linens he was standing in front of, drawing close to him and smiling rather saucily. "But to be fucked in the bathing basin would create too much noise, I fear. No, base slave, if you intend to have your way with me, it must be quick and dirty, and allow me to conceal any evidence after. You do not want to know what happens to a sacred virgin who has broken her vows of chastity." "I can only imagine," Mark said as he took one of the linens hanging on a peg and knelt down on one knee, beginning to dry her off. She seemed amused by his attentiveness, and put one foot on his thigh, allowing him to continue. "So, what, I should probably fuck you somewhere in here, since it's farthest from the door and least chance to be heard, right?" Aemelia nodded and pointed at the bed. "But you cannot have me on my bed either, slave, as there will be evidence of my activities. No, I fear you will simply have to push me up against a wall and fuck me, like a common whore." "Probably all we have time for," he pointed out, leering as he stood, towering over her and pulling her body to his and beginning to fondle her. She closed her eyes and sighed as he groped her tit and ran his other hand down her back to caress her ass. "Uh, my first man," she whispered, not at all flinching from his touch. If anything, she parted her legs slightly, which she reached down to stroke his hardening cock with one hand. "Not only breaking my vows to my goddess, but the sheer indignity of losing my chastity to a lowly slave;” He could tell she was getting really turned on. His hand found her cunt and he slipped two fingers inside, making Aemelia moan. She was already very wet, and he couldn't find a hymen, so he would have no problem fucking her. "You are feeling around; for my chastity," she breathed, opening her hazel eyes and looking up at him while he fingered her. "It was broken many years ago, while I was riding atop of a horse to a ceremony. It was determined to be an accident, and not a symbol of the goddess' disfavor, so I was permitted to continue serving her. Now, my chaste cunt will serve you, slave. You may fuck me. But first;” She pulled away from him and went over to the far wall, then took hold of a small wooden peg and tapped on the wall three times in a certain rhythm, then three more. She put the peg down and then walked back to him, her eyes glinting with excitement. "You may fuck me against the wall right there, slave;” she whispered breathily, clearly getting eager. She stopped in front of him and waited for something. Then he heard three faint taps in a certain rhythm, which seemed to come from the wall she'd just tapped on. Without any further hesitation, she led him over to the wall she'd indicated and bent forward, exposing her ass to him while steadying herself against the wall. Mark didn't wait, but simply placed his hands on her ass cheeks while standing behind her. He teased his hard cock against her wet twat before sliding the head inside. He felt her stiffen, her back arching, and then she was murmuring to herself. "I am disgraced; I am disgraced;” Mark smiled evilly and pushed deep inside her with one long, slow stroke. Aemelia shuddered and choked, fighting the urge to cry out as he violated her. She hissed as he bottomed out in her, pushing back on her hands to take him in further. She was silent now, just trembling as she felt his cock pinning her to him. Mark then began to stroke back and forth slowly, letting her adjust to the sensation. She was indeed tight, and he was inclined to believe her claim that she was still a virgin, even if she had no hymen. "Bonosus;” she said in a quiet voice somewhere between a gasp and a whisper. She pushed back against him again, starting to grind her ass in circles, reveling in the sensation of a man deep inside her, committing such an extreme blasphemy against Mother Rome. The two were thinking the same thing: Fuck Mother Rome. Mark started moving faster, knowing they didn't have a lot of time. His hips began smacking against her ass, and he watched as his cock glistened, sliding back and forth in her slippery cunt. "Uh, less noise, less noise!" she rasped, waving almost frantically with one hand, her eyes squeezed shut. "Do you want us to both be executed?" Mark kept pumping back and forth strongly, but refrained from slamming against her. He was still more than deep enough to send her into convulsions, though, and the priestess hissed lustily, looking back at him with glazed hazel eyes. "Make me cum," she panted, working herself against him rather inexpertly, but with amazing enthusiasm. "Disgrace my body, my temple, with your cum, slave!" Mark moved faster, and felt her cunt rippling and contracting around him greedily, indicating she was not far off from orgasm. His hands pulled her ass cheeks apart, stretching her and she bit her knuckle and keened. Covered in sweat, her arm flashed out to the side, pointing at the linens hanging next to them. "A linen!" she gasped, her breath catching in her throat. "Give me a linen before I scream!" Mark reached out and grabbed one of the long linen swaths off a peg and handed it to Aemelia, who hastily shoved as much as she could into her mouth, right before her body contorted and was wracked by orgasm. She screamed in ecstasy, the linen muffling the otherwise piercing sound magnificently. Her cunt clutched his cock fiendishly, and Mark stifled a loud groan as he began to cum deep inside her. They ground and squirmed against one another heatedly as he filled her with his pearly essence, and he could feel her cum slathering his thighs. Finally, she sagged, leaning against the wall to keep herself up while removing the linen from her mouth so she could breathe heavily. Some moments later, she eased herself forward, off his throbbing cock, gasping as it popped out of her. She turned around, leaning back against the wall and pulled Mark to her, pressing her mouth against his and kissing him deeply. She may have been a virgin, but she certainly knew how to kiss. Then again, if it was just her and a few other young women living here, that was probably to be expected. "This, slave," she whispered breathily, looking up into his eyes while she reached down and massaged his sticky, still oozing cock. "This has now been in the most sacred of cunts, a sacred temple, defiled by your base desires. Do you know what an honor you've had?" "I can guess," Mark replied, using his body to pin her to the wall and pushing back inside her again. Aemelia shuddered and groaned, going up on her toes and clasping him. "You glad I defiled your temple?" "Yes, but we need to get you out of here," she managed to say, gently pushing him back so that he fell out of her. She knelt and kissed his cock while picking up the linen she'd stuffed into her mouth, and cleaned him off with it. She then hurried over to the pegs on another wall and slipped on a simple white robe, tying it shut. She was flushed, but obviously jubilant. She helped him get back into his slave tunic. "Well, I can strike that off my bucket list," Mark mused to himself in English, smirking. "What did you say?" Aemelia asked, looking up at him as she tied the cord around his waist. "Oh, I was just thinking that at least I can count on you to not brag about this," he said somewhat hastily. "Probably not many people you wanna tell." "True, there's really only Licinia and Marcia I would tell, because they are like-minded to myself. I would tell Domitia, since I suspect she has at least as licentious a heart as any of us, but dare not, because she is impulsive, and not prone to subtlety." "No shit;” Mark muttered as she finished helping him dress. "So now what? How do we get me out of here?" "There's a secret passage you can use at the end of this hallway. It'll take you down to the basement level again, and out though a garden. Be vigilant, but you should be safe. Take a sack of supplies out into the streets, so that it looks like you're on an errand. It'll help you avoid scrutiny." She led him through her apartment and opened the door to poke her head out into the hall, looking both ways. She then took his hand and pulled him out, hurrying down to the end of the hall and then pointing at a large plaster lavabo that dominated the wall. He used his fingers to pry it open like a door, which led into a dark stairwell. He was about to step into the stairwell when she took him by the hem of his tunic and pulled him back to her, kissing him deeply and passionately for several seconds before pushing him back through the aperture and then closing the door behind him. Aemelia leaned back against the ornate plaster lavabo and sighed, looking at the ceiling. She laid and hand on her tit, stood up, straightened her robe out, and then walked down the hall, attempting to look dignified. Thankfully, servants and the priestess' minders rarely came to this floor except at designated hours. She stopped in front of the door of the apartment next to hers, which had a plaque that red 'Licinia' and rapped on the door softly. The door opened and she was pulled inside by her wrist. The door had barely closed before she and another, younger priestess were kissing one another feverishly, hands wandering over each other's bodies. "Thank you for letting me watch," Licinia murmured as her tongue tangled with Aemelia's. "I am so jealous that you got to fuck first, even if it was just a slave. But what a cock he had on him." "I know, and it was everything we had hoped it would be, sister," Aemelia breathed, breaking the kiss and pulling her sister-priestess' bedchamber robe off. "If only it could have lasted longer. But for now;” She shed her own robe and leaned back against the wall, tilting her hips forward and using two fingers to spread her thick cuntlips wide. "You need to suck his cum out of my cunt while you can;” Mark's back was getting slightly sore from carting around sacks in order to get places without being stopped and questioned. He humped several cords of wood into the rear entrance of the Trajan Baths, sighing heavily as he dumped them down near other piles meant to heat the pools, and then went in search of Becky and Nanu. He heard them before he saw them, not surprisingly; he followed the telltale noises toward a smaller, more private bath chamber away from the main rooms. He paused in the door of the room, grinning and leaning against the entranceway while he just watched. In the shallow water, Becky and Nanu were sitting facing into one another, legs scissored and pussies pressed together. They panted and moaned as they slithered and ground against each other, resting back on one hand in the cool water, and gripping each other's arms with the second. They strained against one another, backs arching and their behinds out of the water, eyes squeezed shut and teeth clenched. They both keened loudly before the dam broke. Sighing and moaning shamelessly, they squirmed and writhed, bathing each other's cunt in frothy cum. They girl-fucked one another hard, cumming for a long period before finally relaxing and settling into a squishy embrace, tits and pussies pressed together as they kissed lovingly. Mark finally came into the room, noticing that two young attendants were waiting in corners, linens ready. He shed his tunic and stepped down into the shallow pool, joining them. Becky broke the kiss to smile at him lewdly. "Well, hey, handsome," she purred, reaching over to stroke his cock, noticing it was recently used. "What did you get up to while Nanu and I were enjoying ourselves?" He was kneeling next to them, rotating his neck. "Might've used our loop to get revenge on the city for trying to kill me next week," he mentioned. "Found a certain temple, might've fucked a priestess;” Becky shook her head. "I swear, you're terrible at time theory, unless it involves doing something heinous, Mark. You are a menace." "Yeah, but you love it," he pointed out, grinning and reaching into caress one of her tits, his other hand fondling Nanu's. "Admit it." "I admit to nothing, young man," she purred, loving how his hand felt on her while she continued to stroke his cock. "Nanu asked if we could visit her family, see if they're okay. She hasn't seen them for a decade now." "I'm all right with that," Mark answered, shrugging. "We should give 'em money, too, improve their lot in life. Sounds like Egyptian peasants in the Roman era don't have a lot goin' for 'em." Becky smiled slyly. "Now that you mention it;” Akhmim, in a corner of the former Lower Kingdom. It was the time of year where the mighty Iteru was to have overflowed its banks and then receded, leaving the land gloriously fertile, and ready for the people to grow their crops and sell their goods to the merchants in the cities. But this year, the great god Hap'i had withheld his bounty, and the river had barely breached its banks. The land was dry, and crops scarce. People had been bringing muddy water from the edges of the river in buckets in a desperate attempt to fertilize their fields. Kiya sighed glumly as she tilled a shallow trench in the woefully dry soil on their farm. A wind blew across the field, and she was depressed to see that it carried reddish dust with it. She was the youngest remaining child, and she did the least skilled work as a result. She despaired of ever being married, since her parents could not afford to lose her. Years ago, they had sold their youngest daughter, in the hopes of getting enough money to improve the farm, with new tools and maybe some irrigation equipment, but they'd been had, and the materials and tools they'd bought were junk. It had cost them all the money they'd made in selling their child, and now they had less than ever. They barely subsisted even in the bountiful years, and during droughts like this, it could be deadly. Other farms were empty, due to death or abandonment. She stopped for a moment and leaned on the rickety hoe she was using, squeezing her eyes shut and stifling a sob. She missed her little sister. Yes, Nanu had only been a year younger than her, but she'd been a joy in Kiya's young life, and they were very close to one another. Kiya loved little Nanu, and then one day, she was gone. As she opened her eyes and looked out over the dusty field at the long, thin rows of trenches, she wondered if Hap'i was punishing them for selling her little sister. Kiya wouldn't have blamed the god; she remembered being angry too, and she hadn't talked to her parents for days. Her older siblings, especially Aneksi and Joba, her eldest sister and brother, had loudly declared that it was a good thing to do, since it was one less mouth to feed, and Nanu had been useless for chores anyway. She was six years old when we sold her! Kiya thought angrily to herself as she glared at the barren field. What did you think she was going to be able to do? She heard a horn call and looked down at the distant river dully; she could see an ornate boat sailing downstream, being punted by dark-skinned Nubian slaves, the huffer standing at the bow waving for less important ships to move aside. Nobles, she grumbled to herself sourly. Probably on their way to Memphis to eat splendid food, and meet with their Roman friends. Splendid food. She'd almost forgotten what anything other than bread or little bits of fish tasted like. And the drought made even bread scarce, while fish were dangerous to try to catch, because of the hippos and crocodiles that crowded the river. In years like this, the crocodile demons were especially aggressive. Movement caught her eye, and she saw a palanquin coming up the banks on the small, dusty road. It wasn't even a road, really, so much as a failed ditch that had been meant for irrigation of the nearby farms. Slaves carried the palanquin on their shoulders, and diaphanous curtains concealed who sat within. A tall, light-skinned slave walking with a tall stick led the way. Just behind him came a woman riding a mule, a cloak wrapped around her upper body to protect her from the dusty wind. They seemed to be coming this way. Why are they headed this way? Kiya wondered with a frown. What could they possibly want here in dusty little Akhmim? She stood up and began walking toward the palanquin as it drew closer, her hoe held casually in her right hand: unthreatening, but ready in case their intentions were malign. She could see now that the male slave leading the way was rugged and handsome, with brown hair and deep eyes. Behind him, she woman on the horse, whom she assumed was still a slave, seemed rather pretty beneath her swathes of dark grey linen and fabrics. Were her eyes; blue? She glanced over at her ramshackle house that she, her siblings, her parents and grandparents lived in. No one else seemed to have noticed yet, or were too far away to see. Clearly this would be up to Kiya for now. So how should she react? She played it safe and got down on both knees, bowing her head and looking at the reddish-brown ground beneath her. It was hot on her knees. She hoped this wouldn't take long, for she had to get back to the trenches, so that the other could pour their meagre water and begin to plant seeds. Kiya waited quietly. "I always did like seeing you on your knees, Ki;” she heard a sweet, girly voice say. Her head flicked up and she looked at the source of the voice; she could see a beautiful face leaning out between the curtains of the palanquin and smirking at her. Kiya's eyes widened and her jaw opened as the young woman slid down out of the palanquin and began walking toward her. She was wearing shimmering white clothes that hugged her lovely figure, and her hazel eyes danced in excitement. She was wearing gleaming gold jewelry, adorned with lapis and other gems. She was radiant, like a goddess. "N; Nanu?" Kiya asked in a tiny, incredulous voice. The vision of her long-lost sister nodded, still smiling. "NANU!!!" shrieked the older girl, dropping the hoe and launching herself forward into a crushing hug with her sister. She'd burst into tears by the time she reached Nanu, and the younger sister was crying as well while they embraced. Mark and Becky looked on, smiling as the sisters were reunited, crying together. True, Nanu's sister (the one named Kiya, they assumed) was getting dust all over Nanu's immaculate clothing, but it didn't matter. There were plenty of new outfits for her anyway. Kiya began planting tear-wet kisses all over Nanu's face, almost as if they were a method of making sure she was real. The weeping Nanu returned the kisses. Mark's head began tilting slowly on an angle as he watched, because the kisses were becoming slower, and seemingly more meaningful and; affectionate. "Well, now;” Becky said as she watched intently. "Hello, ancient Egypt." Nanu and Kiya were now absorbed in a very deep kiss, holding one another tight. Mark could see their tongues rolling around the insides of their cheeks. The whimpers of crying had given way to muffled moans while their hands wandered up each other's backs and came to rest on their ass cheeks. Still they kissed one another almost hungrily. Mark leaned in closer to Becky and whispered to her. "I get the feeling they really missed each other." The sisters finally broke the kiss, more for needing oxygen than any other consideration. They pressed their foreheads together, panting heavily as they stared into one another's eyes. Their lips were still glistening from the kiss they'd shared. Nearly a minute had passed before Kiya pulled her head back and looked at her little sister in renewed wonderment. "Nanu;” she managed to say. "How; what are you;” "Do you like it?" chimed Nanu, stepping back just far enough to do a twirl and display her raiment. The gold she wore on her neck, arms and ankles tinkled almost musically. "I have lots more." "We; mom and dad sold you;” Kiya said, still gaping. "They; they sold you as a slave. What miracle of the gods is this?" "Oh, the best kind," the younger girl quipped, giggling. "But I don't wanna explain this ten times, so why don't you get everyone over here? I'll have my slaves set up a shelter for us all to sit under." Kiya will still bordering on confused, but she nodded and turned to race back toward the hut, calling out loudly for people. Nanu watched her for a few moments before turning to look at Mark and Becky and smiling. "You two sure missed each other," Mark observed, grinning, while Becky fanned herself. Nanu gave Mark a snarky look and stuck out her tongue. "We were best friends, Kiya and I, we only had each other, really. And then I was gone for ten years. Is it really so surprising that we can pick up where we left off?" "Nah, just some culture shock is all," Mark chuckled as he laid down the packs he was carrying and then began unslinging others from the side of the mule Becky sat on, and the palanquin. "Shall I set up the shelter, your majesty?" Nanu giggled. "I could get used to that. Please!" The porters placed the palanquin on the ground, and began helping Mark set up the shelter. Along with their pay, they'd been promised good food and wine, so they were more than willing to put in great effort. Mere minutes had passed before a shelter was set up on sturdy poles, with curtains that could be fastened to the sides to keep out the dust and wind. Nanu crawled back inside the palanquin while Becky waited just outside. Before long, a group of people was approaching, being led by an eager Kiya. She kept badgering everyone to hurry up, and several seemed more than a little annoyed at her harrying them. They were of various ages, and all dressed similarly to Kiya, in the common wear of Egypt's teeming peasantry. Becky glanced subtly to the side, to look at Nanu. The young Egyptian woman was staring at the approaching throng, her eyes glassy, and she bit her lip to keep from crying. She didn't want to be crying when her family saw her again. Becky drew the curtains closed to give her some time to compose herself. She then stood and waited patiently while everyone approached. They were a rough lot, clearly hardened by a life of toil on one of the endless farms that lined the Nile. There were young men and women, some children who belonged to what she assumed were couples, and some elders laboring to bring up the rear. The crowd stopped near the shelter, and looked at the visitors silently. Becky nodded to them all said then spoke in a clear voice. "Do any of you speak the tongue of Rome?" Silence and blank stares greeted her. Unimpressed, she turned and called back. "Mark, none of them speak Latin, I need you." "Not the last time I'll ever hear you say that," he chuckled as he joined her. She gave him a sour look and swatted his arm. He ignored the assault and called out to everyone. "Has Kiya told you what we're doing here?" Many of the people shook their heads, but still didn't say anything. Mark gave Becky a sidelong glance, and the blonde woman went back to the palanquin, knelt, and pulled aside the curtain. She helped an elegant woman in white out of the vehicle, and she walked forward, holding a gauzy white veil over her head to conceal her features. She approached the group, and an older man finally pushed to the front and addressed her humbly. "How can this humble family serve you, mistress?" he asked. Nanu now pulled the veil over her head, letting them take a good look at her. Kiya looked like she was almost ready to burst. Several faces remained blank for quite some time, but others began to express shock as recognition set in. "Nanu?" asked the man in a quavering voice. "Yeah, it's me, dad," she said, her eyes shining again. "I'm home for a visit." "NANU!" an older woman blurted as she forced her way through the crowd and dashed forward. Nanu quit trying not to cry as she embraced her mother for the first time in more than a decade. Becky pressed her fingers to her lips as she watched and tried not to tear up. Mark just grinned. "Mommy," Nanu choked as she held the other woman tight. "I've missed you so much!" "How is this possible?" her father asked, sinking to his knees. "We; I had to sell you, to those Romans, in order to make enough money to' "The Flavians in Clysma, yes," Nanu affirmed, looking over her mother's shoulder and nodding while the elder woman wept. "And they sent me to Rome, once they discovered I could dance." "You always were a good little dancer!" Kiya gushed, almost bouncing up and down on the spot. Many of the other members of the family were drawing closer now, still gazing in wonder. Her father seemed to be going pale and trembling, though. "Are; are you sent back as a glorious spirit, to punish me for selling my beautiful daughter? Have mercy on me, I' "Dad, stop being so dramatic," Nanu almost complained as she let go of her mother and walked toward him. She hauled him to his feet and placed her tiny hands in his, letting him feel them. "See? I'm still flesh and blood, not a stupid spirit. I'm not a Flavian slave anymore, either. I'm wealthy and I have my own slaves." They all looked at Mark and Becky now. Becky pulled down the fabric around her head, and many of them gasped as her golden blonde hair and sea-blue eyes came into full view. They'd never seen anyone like her before. These were Nanu's slaves? Her father shook his head slowly. "I still do not understand. How did this happen?" "Who cares?" someone groused from the back of the crowd in a gruff, male voice. Nanu knew it right away, and looked up sourly. The crowd parted to let the speaker come forward. It was her eldest brother, Bata, and he was the second eldest of the siblings after Meritites, Nanu's big sister. He'd always been something of a bully toward her. More than something, actually. Nanu and Kiya both had unpleasant memories of the older boy. "We sold you for money, and what good did it do us?" the young man sneered, moving forward now. Nanu took half a step back, clearly intimidated. "The tools we bought were shit, and we're struggling harder than ever. You can't even be sold without fucking things up for your fa' Mark had lunged in and slammed his fist across Bata's jaw, sending him spinning to the ground. Everyone except Becky gasped, and one sister cried out in fright. Mark stood over the downed boy, glowering at him. Bata was holding his jaw, his eyes wide in shock. He could taste blood. "Got anything else to say about my mistress, shitbag?" Mark challenged. Bata glared at Mark before his gaze flicked over to the axe he'd dropped when he got punched. "Oh, please try that, I dare you,", Mark growled, unmoved by the perceived threat. "I'll shove that axe handle so far up your ass that you'll have splinters in your tongue for a month." Bata looked away, unable to endure Mark's glare. The younger man stepped back and let Nanu's brother get to his feet. Bata grabbed a woman by the wrist and stomped off, dragging her behind. Several of Nanu's siblings sighed and were visibly relieved. Mark then stepped back and let Nanu take over again. The Egyptian girl, still a little rattled, took a deep breath, composing herself. She then spoke to her family again. "I'm sorry. I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd die, far from home, never to return. I; I want to make sure that mom and dad never have to do anything like that again for our family's survival." Nanu brought her mother back to the family and helped her father stand. They were murmuring to one another and hugged, while people began crying. Several men and women watched on, some passively, some with curiosity. Mark assumed these were spouses who had married into the family since Nanu's departure some ten years ago. Nanu was hugging her oldest sister, Meritites, and sharing kisses with her, although not quite as affectionate as those she'd shared with Kiya. She then hugged and kissed her other siblings; Djoser, Ameny, Khafra, Nefer, Tiaa, Horemheb, Jobra, Anpu, and Senet. Jeebus, Becky thought, trying not to frown as she looked at the mother, whose name was apparently Pypuy. Twelve kids? How did her uterus not just fall right out? Nanu's father, Akhom, still seemed overwhelmed, but maybe that was understandable. He had, after all, clearly made an agonizing decision and it seemed to be revisiting him, even if the circumstances were joyous for everyone else. Nanu had explained to Mark and Becky that selling children into slavery in order for a poor family to survive was not uncommon in Egypt, but clearly it was still painful for all involved. Finally, the greetings ended, and Nanu, with her eyes still glistening, smiled at her family. "Let's eat, I brought lots of food." The shelter Mark and the slaves had erected was large enough to conceal everyone from the sun. They ate bread, figs, fish, and wine. Kiya excused herself and ran back to the house. Even Nanu's father seemed to have adjusted and was now enjoying himself. More than anything, though, there were endless questions. "I got lucky," Nanu said simply. "I know it seems impossible, but look at me. What more proof do you need? I am wealthy now, and not a slave. I came home to let you know, and also to give you money, so that you no longer need to struggle. You will live very comfortably. You could probably even retire from the farm and move into a town or city if you wanted to." "You're not coming with us?" her sister Tiaa asked, looking rather upset. "We just got you back, and you've been gone so long." Nanu looked down at the ground, going silent, wondering what to say. She felt very torn. Here she was, back with the family she'd missed her entire life, and giving them money, but beyond that, she had nothing to back it up; Mistress Aurora and Bonosus, or whatever their real names happened to be, were not her slaves. She had no talents that made her a patrician. She could barely read. She'd come here, so secure in her plan to see her family, alleviate any suffering they were enduring, and then go off on this grand adventure with her new beloved associates. They'd even told her she might be able to see her family again. But now, in this dingy but so comforting environment. She looked up and saw Kiya approaching again, carrying something in her arms. Everyone let her through, and she knelt next to Nanu, smiling. Nanu's eyes went wide. Kiya gently passed her the baby. It couldn't have been more than a year old. "Her name is Nanu," Kiya said softly, her brown eyes shining. "Named after the little sister I thought I'd lost forever." Nanu looked up and her eyes were glassy with wonder. "Who is her father?" Kiya smiled sadly. "The river took him earlier this year, during Akhet. I'm sorry you never met him." "She's beautiful," Nanu murmured, caressing the tiny cheek with her thumb, and feeling her heart thrum in her chest. "So beautiful." "There's all the time in the world now, for you to raise her and love her," her sister said, putting a hand on Nanu's arm. "I know you'll love her as much as I do. We can raise her together, just like we always talked about when we were younger. And I; what's wrong, Nanu?" Tears were now streaming down the younger girl's face as she tried to keep from bursting out crying. Becky found herself trying not to cry as well, even if she didn't understand the language. "I'm; I'm sorry, Kiya," she managed to say, while her sister's eyes teared up, knowing what was coming. "I can't stay, I now have a different life I must get back to. And it's not here in Akhmim, or even Keme itself." "I understand," Kiya rasped, her eyes red as she tried to hold it together. She loved Nanu so much. "Can't take us with you?" "No, I can't," Nanu said sadly, shaking her head slowly as she squeezed her eyes shut, crystalline tears falling onto the linen the baby in her arms was wrapped in. "I don't know how that would work." "Will we ever see you again?" her sister Ameny almost pleaded. "I want to say yes," Nanu replied, her eyes still closed. "But even visiting now was very difficult to arrange. But I promise you, I will try. And if I ever find a way to take you all away from here, then I will. And we'll all live in splendor together forever." Most of the girls were crying at this point, and even a few of her brothers were sniffling. Her mother and father just knelt quietly, looking very forlorn and lost. Nanu handed the baby back to Kiya and hugged her parents tight. "But even if I can't be here, I'm still looking after you, like I promised," she said in an earnest tone. She glanced over at Mark, who nodded and rose, using two of the porters to unfasten sacks from the mule and also the palanquin. When he brought them over, he laid them in front of Nanu, who opened them to display the contents. Her family members gaped in awe. More gold coins than they could have imagined glittered within. "You'll need to be quiet for some time about where it all came from, and not just spread it around, but this'll give even my niece's great-grandchildren a very comfy life if you're not stupid with it," she announced, running her hands through the coinage so they could hear the sound of it. "Like I said, you could become the wealthiest farmers in the region, or become traders in a nearby city. As long as you look after one another, always. Even Bata." "Don't worry about Bata, sis," grunted the second eldest brother, Anpu, looking at Meritites and smiling. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "We'll make Bata behave." "I know," sniffled Nanu, smiling and wiping at her eye. She'd always liked her big brother Anpu. He wasn't a jerk like Bata. "Just protect my sisters, Anpu, and my niece." He nodded, looking proud, since she'd assigned him this task. "Do you really need to leave already, Tahemet?" Djoser asked, calling Nanu by her childhood nickname of 'Queenie'. When they'd all been younger, Nanu, as the youngest, usually got the short end of the stick about everything. So she made up for it by having an active pretend life, where she was a queen, regal and worshipped by all. Meri, the eldest, had given her the nickname, but not in a mocking way, even if Bata used it as such. Nanu considered. Mark turned around and whispered to the porters. "Stay with us another night, and we'll triple your pay and give you all the remaining food." The men nodded readily. Nanu wanted to ask Mark and Becky, but they were supposed to be her slaves for this visit, so she couldn't be asking them. The decision was hers. She opened her eyes and smiled. "I'll stay until tomorrow." Everyone seemed relieved at her proclamation, and they continued eating and drinking merrily. Becky had to admit, they were taking this all in good stride. Then again, when all your deities had bird or reptile heads, there probably wasn't a lot you couldn't take on faith anyway. Mark now conversed with the family (with Nanu's permission), about how Nanu had come into wealth and escaped slavery, not to mention acquiring two exceptional specimens such as himself and Becky for slaves. Mark did something he was becoming distressingly good at and lied. It saved Nanu the hassle, which was just as well, since she spent much of her time holding Kiya's baby and talking quietly with her sister. Clearly they'd been attached at the hip when they were younger, and there was much about one another they were keen to rediscover. Watching them subtly touch each other and hold hands, thumbs gently caressing, brought a smile to Becky's face. She resolved to make sure Nanu got to see her family again. The day had worn on, and Nanu had to remind everyone repeatedly that there was no immediate need to get back to toiling over the barren landscape, since she had come with plenty of money. Evening was upon them, and the family began returning to the dwelling that served as their home. Mark added treated skins around the shelter, converting it into a tent, while Nanu begged Kiya to stay with her for the night, to which the older sister agreed readily. Last of all, she hugged her father and mother, promising to see them in the morning. They took little Nanu with them, leaving Mark, Becky, Nanu, and Kiya alone in the tent. The porters had returned to the boat and would sleep there. Once the flaps were all fastened shut, Nanu and Kiya had almost attacked one another, kissing feverishly, and tearing one another's clothes off. Alex smiled and watched while they took their own clothes off. They lay on a blanket together on their sides, with Mark spooning her. He caressed and fondled her gently while she squirmed her ass back against him and they watched the sisters, small sturdy covered lamps in the corners providing dim illumination. Naked and wrapped up in a tangle of writhing limbs, Nanu and Kiya were continuing to kiss hungrily, moaning the entire time. Hands wandered over forms they hadn't touched in over ten years, and those had probably changed considerably in the interim. They murmured and whispered to one another through the kissing, words Mark didn't try all that hard to make out. Let them have their fun. "Umm, there you are," Becky purred as she felt Mark get nice and hard while watching the show. She reached behind herself and took hold of his hard cock, guiding it to her cunt. She teased it up and down the slippery nether lips before letting Mark press home, and sinking deep inside her. They both moaned with relief at the coupling. Mark kissed Becky's neck and fondled her opulent tits as he began pushing his cock in and out of her slowly. They slowly made love while watching the sisters just to their side rediscover one another, after over a decade apart. Becky smiled as Nanu kissed Kiya deeply, expressing her innermost longings and desires. The younger sister lay on top of the older one, holding one another tight and kissing, their nubile bodies squirming together. "I love watching family reunions," Becky sighed quietly as she flexed her fingers on Mark's hip while he slid in and out of her, still massaging her opulent tits. "Look at them, Mark, they're so in love, and so happy to see one another." "It's certainly a feel good moment," he agreed, loving how she flexed her cunt muscles around him as he pushed him himself back and forth. "Mind you, just about everything involving you is, I find." Becky smiled and reached up to caress his cheek before turning her face to kiss him. While they were engaged in a tongue-lock, Nanu began kissing and nibbling her way slowly down Kiya's soft, responsive body, thrilling to hear the murmurs and whimpers of her sister again. She kissed her tan tits, swirling her tongue around the hard brown nipple, before biting and tugging on it, then giggling. "You can't imagine how long I've yearned to see you with tits, Ki," she said quietly, smirking up at the older girl. "They're everything I've ever hoped for and dreamed of." "Just wait until you see my cunt, then," Kiya replied, shivering beneath her sister's kisses. How she'd missed them! "And let me see if yours has become everything I've ever dreamed of." Nanu nodded and then wiggled around until her hips were over Kiya's face. In the dim light, the older sister could see the tempting twat, glistening with arousal and shaved curiously smooth. It must have been how they did things in distant Rome, of which her little sister was now apparently queen or some such thing. Without a moment's hesitation, she craned her head up and began kissing, sending shudders through Nanu and making her moan. The sisters kissed and lapped at one another, lovers reunited after agonizing years apart. They fell into it naturally, remembering what the other loved and craved, even if their bodies had changed in the interim. Nanu sighed in bliss at the taste of her sister, cloying and sweet on her tongue. She felt Kiya go rigid as one of her fingers slipped inside her twat. They rolled slowly onto their sides, legs locked around each other's head as they sucked on one another's cunt hungrily, lost in mutual pleasure. Mark and Becky kept watching, undulating and squirming as quietly as they could, letting the sisters rediscover their lost love. Nanu and Kiya were moaning into one another's pussies now, little gasps escaping them. They could see Nanu's ass cheeks clenching and pushing forward against her sister's face, even while Kiya slithered her tongue around inside her. They were both trembling and sweating now, bodies shining in the dim, flickering orange light inside the tent. "Ooh, here we go," Becky whispered, her hand reaching back to rest on Mark's neck and help keep her braced against him. "Let's see how long this has been pent up;” Both sisters were shaking now, but still lapping and sucking on each other relentlessly, squeaking and whimpering as they tried to hold out. But their lust would not be denied, and they both keened and strained, finally cumming. Mark and Becky watched in fascinated delight as Nanu bathed her sister's face in her glistening cum, and heard her moaning as Kiya reciprocated. Becky shivered and pressed her ass back against Mark, hard, sighing as she began to cum as well. Mark pressed forward with his hips, pushing his cock as far inside her as he could, pumping his cum deep into her greedy cunt. They squirmed and ground against each other, with Mark biting Becky's neck and her fingers running through his hair. "Umm, Mark;” she cooed, nuzzling against him, loving the feel of his molten cum inside her. "You have no idea how good this feels." "If it's one tenth as good as that, then pretty damn incredible," Mark said, nodding at Nanu and Kiya, who were still kissing one another's pussies, murmuring quietly and caressing. Nanu disengaged her mouth from Kiya's snatch and turned around again, lying on top of her sister as they began kissing again, tasting themselves on each other's lips. Kiya moved her right leg and Nanu her left, shifting around until their gooey pussies were squashed together, which they both obviously found immensely comforting. They ended their kiss, and Nanu looked over at Mark and Becky dreamily, her face shining with cum. "I would like to let Kiya taste you both;” Mark and Becky nodded, remembering that they were still pretending Nanu was noble and they were mere slaves. Mark slowly pulled his cock out of Becky and rolled onto his back. He pulled his teacher on top of him, facing up, with his cock poking up between her legs. The sisters crawled over, with Kiya looking rather hesitant, but trusting her little sister. She gazed at Mark's erect cock and Becky's twat in wonder. "He's huge," she breathed, unconsciously licking her lips. "You're lucky to have such a big cock at your disposal whenever you like, Nanu." "Don't I know it," giggled the younger sister, taking hold of Mark's tool and holding it up for Kiya, while she began kissing Becky's cunt, shivering as she tasted Mark's cum dribbling out of her mistress. "You'll love the taste of this cunt, too." Kiya began experimenting with kissing Mark's cock, which was glistening with his and Becky's mingled cum. The Egyptian girl seemed intimidated by its size initially, but remembered that Nanu clearly loved it, so there must be nothing to fear. Her hand joined Nanu's around the base of the shaft and soon she was sliding her tongue up and down his length, much like Nanu was doing to Becky's sweet twat. The sisters paused to kiss, tongues tangling as they shared the cum they'd both lapped up, humming contentedly into one another's mouth. To watch them, Mark would have sworn they'd done this before. They both stroked his shaft, while Nanu caressed Becky's cunt. The two girls pressed their foreheads together, giggling at some secret between them. Nanu looked at Becky and Mark warmly. "We should sleep, my family will not leave us alone for long. And I want my sister to try fucking you both before we must leave." "I do not want you to go," Kiya sighed. "I just got you back, Tahamet, it breaks my heart that you intend to leave again. Couldn't; couldn't you and your servants stay with us? You could even lead our family, since you are the one with the wealth. We could live wherever we wanted. I wanted to raise my daughter with you, my other half, missing for so long." Nanu's eyes glistened as she looked over at Mark and Becky. The blonde woman smiled lovingly. "Nanu," she said gently in Latin, which Kiya didn't speak. "This is your decision. If you want to stay with your sister and your family, Mark and I will understand. We'll leave the money with you, and even come and visit you when we can." The tear on her cheek was proof of how torn the young woman was by this decision. And it was one she had to make alone, possibly for the first time in her entire life. It had to be terrible for her. Finally, she hung her head for several moments, and when she looked back up, she was smiling. "Ki, I must go back to my life,", she sighed, her mind made up. "Trust me, I really want to stay, or to take you with me, especially you and little Nanu, but it must be this way. I can promise to visit, and that will have to do." "I understand," the older sister choked, nodding as her eyes welled over with tears. "I do. It's just hard. I'm so glad that you're alive and happy. It means so much to me. If the price is sending you away again, I can endure it. For you. For us. You know how in love with you I am." "Same as I am with you," Nanu said, her voice cracking and tears flowing. "Just remember that I'll keep my promise and visit whenever I can." The sisters grappled onto one another and began kissing feverishly, lying on their sides while their hands wandered freely. Mark chuckled and allowed Becky to clamber off him. She went to lie on the far side, spooning into Nanu and making sure she stayed pressed to her sister. Mark, meanwhile, spooned into Kiya, holding her in place against Nanu, while the two girls continued kissing and whimpering into one another's mouths. The two time travelers reached across and rested a hand on each other, smiling and relaxing, waiting for the Egyptian girls to nod off, their lips still pressed together in a forever-kiss. It was a long-overdue night of safety and contentment for the two. It was just dawn now, and Kiya looked like she was going into convulsions as she rocked up and down on top of Mark's cock. It was far the largest she'd ever had inside her, and it felt like it was splitting her open, like a wedge split wood. She could feel crackling and popping in her hips. How did Nanu, who was even smaller than her, endure it? Becky was kneeling right behind Kiya over Mark's thighs, pressed into the smaller girl and smiling wickedly while she molested her tits. Meanwhile, Nanu was kneeling over Mark's mouth, letting him lash her cunt with his tongue, while she faced into her older sister, loving the look on Kiya's face as she was almost fucked in half. Kiya squirmed and writhed, gasping like she was being choked, her eyes rolling up into her head. It wasn't long before her cunt clenched Mark ferociously, and Nanu had to lean forward and kiss her sister before Kiya shrieked in unreal ecstasy and woke up the entire family over and over, three hundred meh-ta away. Mark ground into Nanu's cunt as he arched his hips, pushing up somehow deeper inside Kiya and then cumming, filling her so profusely that she was once again shaking like she was having a seizure. The squishy noises of his cum bubbling out of her filled the tiny tent. Nanu shivered and came on his mouth seconds later. Becky hauled the nearly unconscious Kiya off of Mark's pole, while Nanu leaned down and sucked it clean quickly. She then moved forward quickly to lie between her sister's legs, sucking Mark's cum out of her cunt with a fiendish eagerness. Becky crawled over to join Mark and they watched the sisters quietly. Nanu finished draining Kiya of cum, finally, and crawled over her, nestling down onto her body. Not surprisingly, they were kissing again. "Jeez, you ever seen too people more in love?" he mused, smirking as he lazily caressed her tits while she sat in front of him. "I ain't complaining about the show," Becky replied, nodding and grazing her fingernails along his forearm. "She must really believe in our promise to her if she's willing to leave her sister and niece behind to come with us. I feel slightly bad about it." Mark shrugged. "She wouldn't have even had this choice without us, Becks," he pointed out. "Clearly our offer means a lot to her. 'sides, she knows she can always visit them now, just like we promised. And if the Holmes Field Device won't bring her forward, we can leave her here with them, right?" "I guess that's true," Becky agreed, nodding and just watching. "What is that language they speak to one another when they don't want anyone to understand them?" Kiya asked in a whisper, looking just past her sister's shoulder at Mark and Becky suspiciously. "I don't even know," Nanu confessed. "I've never heard it before. Anywhere." Kiya gazed up into her younger sister's eyes, giving her a skeptical look. "They're not your slaves, are they? There's no damn way two people as magnificent as that are slaves to anybody, forget a dopey little slut of a girl from Akhmim." Nanu sighed. "Fine, you got me," she whispered, pretending to kiss her sister's ear, while Kiya squirmed and held her close. They made a show of grinding their pussies together, giving Mark and Becky something to look at. "They're not my slaves. I was hers, for a little bit. But what they really are is adventurers, from very far away. And they're taking me with them, to share their adventures. Not as a slave, but as one of them." Kiya assessed what her sister was saying for some time, trying to parse it out. It sounded absurd, but then, so was Nanu

------------------- For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table! questions@eyecode-education.com https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEt3AkIpRrfNhieeImiZBF5lYRIR2aAsl7UqWJ_m2GV6OKEA/viewform?usp=header https://coopervision.com/our-company/... Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts  Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

The Greatest Command — Mark 12:28–34 Culture of Gospel One of the things we want as a church is to grow in our ability to share about Jesus with those who don't know Jesus. Use this summary statement to share with someone in your life who doesn't know Jesus: “Jesus isn't inviting you into cold religion or a list of demands—He's inviting you into the kind of love that reshapes your life from the inside out. The God of the universe doesn't want your performance; He wants your heart. Sermon Summary Introduction Coleton opens by naming the central question every follower of Jesus must answer: What matters most to God?  Not: What matters most to Christians, churches, or religious culture… but what matters most to God Himself. Jesus answers that question directly in Mark 12. And Coleton's goal is simple: To show what God values most. To show why it matters. To show what this means for our church and for each person individually. 1. What Matters Most to God? Mark 12:29–30 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'” The most important thing to God is that you love Him.  Not that you serve Him. Not that you behave correctly. Not that you meet moral standards. Not that you avoid sin. Love is the highest command. What Most People Think Matters Most to God Coleton names the most common assumptions Christians carry: “God mostly wants me to get saved.” “God mostly wants me to stop sinning.” “God mostly wants me to pray more, read more, go to church more.” “God mostly wants me to serve the poor, give money, volunteer, or be more missional.” All important. But not most important. Jesus' Rebuke of Ephesus—Proof That Good Works ≠ Love Revelation 2:2–5 “I know your deeds… Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first… Repent.” This church was doctrinally strong. Morally clean. Active in service. Enduring hardship. Doing everything “right.”  And Jesus still says: You do not love Me anymore.  And failing to love Him is so serious that Jesus warns: “If you do not repent, I will remove your lampstand.” God cares more about your affection for Him than the actions you perform in His name. Key Point Doing things for God is not the same as loving God. 2. Why This Matters: Love for God Shapes Who You Become One of the main reasons this is the greatest command is because love is what transforms you. God wants His people to be: Compassionate Generous Sacrificial Humble Pure Joyful Loving toward neighbor and enemy But these things don't come from effort or trying harder. They grow naturally out of love. Illustration: Coleton and Rainey's Early Relationship When they were dating long-distance: He drove 8 hours overnight just to spend a few hours with her. He wrote letters daily. He spent money he didn't have to buy her meals and gifts. He thought about her constantly. Why?  Not because she handed him a list of rules.  Because he loved her. Love makes sacrifice a joy.  Love makes devotion natural.  Love makes obedience a delight. This Is What God Wants With You When you love Him… Spending time with Him becomes natural. Sacrificing for Him becomes joy. Worship becomes expression, not obligation. Caring for the poor flows from His heart in yours. Sin loses its power because your love is captured elsewhere. Spurgeon Quote (used by Coleton) “Jesus loved you when you lived carelessly… when you were hiding your every sin… even when you were at hell's gate… Think of His great love towards you… and your love will grow.” Why Other Commands Aren't “Most Important” Because all of them grow out of the soil of love for God.  Love is the tree—everything else is fruit. 3. What This Means for Our Church Coleton gives a strong pastoral warning:  Churches die not because culture changes or neighborhoods shift.  Churches die when they stop loving Jesus. Revelation 2 Revisited Jesus says to Ephesus: “If you do not repent, I will remove your lampstand.” Meaning: I will remove your church.  Not Satan. Not culture.  Jesus Himself. Why?  Because a church that doesn't love Jesus can't represent Jesus. A church that doesn't love Him… Won't love people the way He does. Won't reflect His character. Won't look like Him. Won't be shaped into His image. Won't show the world what God is like. Coleton's Burden He described visiting dying churches—churches with excuses: “The neighborhood changed.” “Young people don't want church.” “Culture is too secular.” No.  The lampstand was removed. He says: “I do not want us to be a church He removes.”  We cannot simply be a church that does many things for God.  We must be a church that loves God. 4. How Do We Grow in Love for God? Jesus tells Ephesus: “Do the things you did at first.” — Revelation 2:5 Coleton's Example: Relearning Love Three years into their relationship, he and Rainey “fell out of love.”  Counselor's advice: “Go do the things you did at first.” Jesus says the same:  Return to: The places you prayed. The songs that once moved you. The Scriptures that once awakened your heart. The memories of grace that once fueled your love. The habits you had when your heart was alive. What Were You Doing When You First Loved Him? Coleton gave examples: Marveling that He forgave you. Tears during worship songs. Hours in Scripture. Memorizing verses. Sharing the gospel with everyone. Private prayer retreats. Celebrating your spiritual birthday. Teaching or serving with joy. Returning to the place where you first believed. Biblical Foundation 1 John 4:19 “We love because He first loved us.” Love grows by remembering His love toward you. Conclusion The most important thing to God is not that you serve Him, work for Him, or perform for Him.  He wants your heart. He wants your love. Ask Him: “Remind me of who I was when You saved me.” “Help me love You again the way I once did.” “Grow my love for You this year more than last year.” And as love grows, life follows. Discipleship Group Questions When you think about what God wants most from you, what is your instinctive answer—and how does Jesus' teaching challenge that? Can you identify a time in your life when your love for God felt stronger or more alive? What were you doing in that season? Which “good works” in your life are you tempted to mistake for love? How can you reorder them so they flow from affection instead of obligation? What first steps can you take this week to “do the things you did at first”? How would our church change if our primary goal became loving Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Send us a textA weekend of rich fellowship set the stage for a hard, honest walk through Job's story, where comfort meets mystery and faith meets fire. We pick up in Job 2:11–13 and slow down on three verses that many skip: the moment his friends hear, make a plan, show up, weep, and sit with him seven days in silence. That image recalibrates our instincts about care. Presence comes before propositions. Tears before theories. Silence before speeches.From there we widen the lens to the heavenly council most readers overlook. God, not Satan, brings up Job's name. That single fact upends the tidy equation that suffering always signals hidden sin. The conversation challenges our modern reflex to control outcomes and label causes. Job's wife, his friends, and even Satan stumble over the same stone: a thin grasp of God's sovereignty. Job stands apart by receiving both good and evil from God without charging him with wrong. That is not resignation; it is worship born of trust.Together with the panel, we trace how good theology can go wrong in practice. Job's friends will say many true things, but they will misapply them. The lesson for us is sharp and practical: what we believe about God shapes how we treat the hurting. We talk about showing up, letting the grieving speak first, resisting the urge to fix, and using fewer, wiser words. We also name the real front line of spiritual warfare: not online debates, but faithful endurance under trial, refusing to accuse God and learning to vindicate his goodness when the reasons remain hidden.If this conversation helped you rethink comfort, sovereignty, and compassion, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. Your words help others find hope when they need it most.Catch On Fire PodcastsThis channel does a deep dive into the scriptures so as to teach what it means to be...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Episode 2518. 2nd Generation conflict. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace  

Send us a textWhat if the loudest critic in your life is you—and what if that voice is keeping you from the growth you're asking for? Theresa opens up about a rough week that felt like backsliding: long shifts at an Amazon warehouse, aching joints, itchy eyes, and a mind stuck on “you should be further by now.” Instead of hiding it, she investigates it. Two guiding ideas lead the way: condemnation without investigation is ignorance, and nothing changes until we accept it.The story gets real in the aisles. Theresa confronts an uncomfortable flash of judgment toward a younger coworker and refuses to excuse it. That honesty becomes a hinge moment: turning shame into feedback, she recognizes how easily we oppress ourselves with inner blame. From there, the warehouse transforms into a classroom. Attention to detail on the scanner tests patience and humility. A swirl of personalities—leaders in their 20s, retirees, strivers, flirters, and proud radio carriers—mirrors a tiny version of humanity. If love is the mission, this is the lab.There's also a surprising lesson about focus and creation. Surrounded by coffee pots and castor oil—the very items on her mind—Theresa notices how attention shapes experience. It's a nudge to stop catastrophizing bills and start stewarding focus toward meaningful work: the devotional, the matrix-exit series, the message that actually helps people. Along the way, she reframes setbacks as training in three stubborn areas: finances, relationships, and time. Tears become medicine, compassion replaces condemnation, and trust takes the wheel again.Walk away with a grounded reminder: accept first, then evolve. Investigate the voice that shames you, choose obstacles before they choose you, and practice love right where you are, not where you wish you were. If this resonates, tap follow, share the episode with a friend who needs a gentler inner voice, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What lesson is your life teaching you today?Support the show

Send us a textWhat if the loudest critic in your life is you—and what if that voice is keeping you from the growth you're asking for? Theresa opens up about a rough week that felt like backsliding: long shifts at an Amazon warehouse, aching joints, itchy eyes, and a mind stuck on “you should be further by now.” Instead of hiding it, she investigates it. Two guiding ideas lead the way: condemnation without investigation is ignorance, and nothing changes until we accept it.The story gets real in the aisles. Theresa confronts an uncomfortable flash of judgment toward a younger coworker and refuses to excuse it. That honesty becomes a hinge moment: turning shame into feedback, she recognizes how easily we oppress ourselves with inner blame. From there, the warehouse transforms into a classroom. Attention to detail on the scanner tests patience and humility. A swirl of personalities—leaders in their 20s, retirees, strivers, flirters, and proud radio carriers—mirrors a tiny version of humanity. If love is the mission, this is the lab.There's also a surprising lesson about focus and creation. Surrounded by coffee pots and castor oil—the very items on her mind—Theresa notices how attention shapes experience. It's a nudge to stop catastrophizing bills and start stewarding focus toward meaningful work: the devotional, the matrix-exit series, the message that actually helps people. Along the way, she reframes setbacks as training in three stubborn areas: finances, relationships, and time. Tears become medicine, compassion replaces condemnation, and trust takes the wheel again.Walk away with a grounded reminder: accept first, then evolve. Investigate the voice that shames you, choose obstacles before they choose you, and practice love right where you are, not where you wish you were. If this resonates, tap follow, share the episode with a friend who needs a gentler inner voice, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What lesson is your life teaching you today?Support the show

Send us a textWhat if the loudest critic in your life is you—and what if that voice is keeping you from the growth you're asking for? Theresa opens up about a rough week that felt like backsliding: long shifts at an Amazon warehouse, aching joints, itchy eyes, and a mind stuck on “you should be further by now.” Instead of hiding it, she investigates it. Two guiding ideas lead the way: condemnation without investigation is ignorance, and nothing changes until we accept it.The story gets real in the aisles. Theresa confronts an uncomfortable flash of judgment toward a younger coworker and refuses to excuse it. That honesty becomes a hinge moment: turning shame into feedback, she recognizes how easily we oppress ourselves with inner blame. From there, the warehouse transforms into a classroom. Attention to detail on the scanner tests patience and humility. A swirl of personalities—leaders in their 20s, retirees, strivers, flirters, and proud radio carriers—mirrors a tiny version of humanity. If love is the mission, this is the lab.There's also a surprising lesson about focus and creation. Surrounded by coffee pots and castor oil—the very items on her mind—Theresa notices how attention shapes experience. It's a nudge to stop catastrophizing bills and start stewarding focus toward meaningful work: the devotional, the matrix-exit series, the message that actually helps people. Along the way, she reframes setbacks as training in three stubborn areas: finances, relationships, and time. Tears become medicine, compassion replaces condemnation, and trust takes the wheel again.Walk away with a grounded reminder: accept first, then evolve. Investigate the voice that shames you, choose obstacles before they choose you, and practice love right where you are, not where you wish you were. If this resonates, tap follow, share the episode with a friend who needs a gentler inner voice, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. What lesson is your life teaching you today?Support the show

Please enjoy the Filthy Animals first song, the cover of Mad World. With an inspiration from Gary Jules' version, making it more up beat, it turned out to sound like a fun cross over between the original by Tears for Fears and Gary Jules.Mike Craig on the vocals (Co-Host of Culture Shocked Podcast)Ben Milliron, the genius behind all the music except...Kyle Hoffman with the pianoClick here to send us a message! If you would please go follow us on all the socials? We would love you all forever...in a friend way...don't be weird!!!Please go rate and review us anywhere you get your podcastsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/CultureShockedPodcastTwitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/cspodcast21TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cspodcast21?lang=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultureshockedpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultureshocked21YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cultureshocked21Website: https://cultureshocked.buzzsprout.com/

John 11:25-44,Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[a] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”The year 1912 gave us two unforgettable things: the sinking of the Titanic and the invention of Oreo cookie — one was a tragedy, one a triumph, and we're still fascinated by both today.But something else important that happened in 1912 that we probably don't think about much was the publication of an essay by the theologian B. B. Warfield. The essay is entitled, “The Emotional Life of our Lord” — and it's about the various emotions we see Jesus express in the Gospels.What makes the essay so amazing is that there had never really been a study like this before, and Warfield wrote it during the heyday of theological liberalism. When a lot of modern scholars were denying the deity of Christ, Warfield affirmed the deity of Christ and wrote this essay to defend the humanity of Christ.And the reason this essay is relevant to our passage today is that Warfield gives a lot of attention to John 11 — because of the emotions we just read about in verses 33–38!Now throughout each of the four Gospels we see the emotional life of Jesus, but there's no other place where we see such strong emotions compounded in one scene. Warfield writes, “What John does [here in Chapter 11] is uncover to us the heart of Jesus as he wins for us our salvation.” And I think that's right. Remember John was there! He saw this happen. And led by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he has written this to uncover the heart of Jesus for us, which means it's worthy of our focus this morning. There are two questions we should ask: What do we learn here about Jesus's heart? What difference does it make in our lives?The goal of the sermon is to answer those two questions: I want to show you something amazing about the heart of Jesus, and then I wanna talk about why it matters.Those are the two parts, and Part One can be titled “Uncovering the Heart of Jesus.”1. Uncovering the Heart of JesusWe're gonna pick up here in verse 28, and my goal is for us to build, in our minds, the right image of Jesus in this scene.Last week we saw the dialogue between Jesus and Martha, and this week it's between Jesus and Mary.After Martha's faith confession of Jesus in verse 27, she goes back to their home in Bethany to get Mary. And I want you to try to imagine this…Remember this is just four days after the death of Lazarus, and so it's a crowded house of friends and family grieving with them. Martha walks into the full house and somehow in private she tells Mary that Jesus wants to see her. She most likely whispered this to Mary, because people are all around her. She said, “Mary, the Teacher is here and he's calling for you.”And Mary, right away, jumps up and goes to meet Jesus, and everybody is there, seeing her do this, and they assume she must be going to the tomb. So they leave the house and follow her.So picture Mary walking to meet Jesus, and there's this entourage of grieving people following behind her. She gets to Jesus in verse 32, and she falls down at Jesus's feet and she says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Where have we heard that before? This is the same thing Martha said in verse 21.And again, I don't think this is a rebuke. Mary is just stating a fact, and she does it here bowed down at Jesus's feet — which is not a posture of disrespect — this is homage. She's broken before her teacher. She's been following him, learning from him, trusting him, and she's honest with him.And it's important we get this scene right in our minds because before John tells us how Jesus responds, he tells us what Jesus sees. We need to see it too.Verse 33 starts by saying that Jesus saw Mary weeping, down at this feet, and he saw this crowd of friends and family around her also weeping. And that word for “weeping” means wailing. This is audible, expressive grief. There's no ‘balled fists mad' at Jesus here. It's heartache. Now look what John says Jesus did …And this is one we need to see. I want to make sure everybody's with me. Find verse 33 — Chapter 11, verse 33.After Jesus sees this heartache around him, Verse 33,“…he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.”Jesus Is AngryNow that word “deeply moved” — that's how the English Standard Version and the New International Version translates it. But if you have the ESV, you might notice there's a little footnote marker, and the footnote says that this word could also be translated “indignant.” Or to be outraged. That's because in nearly every other place this word is used, that's what it means. Outside the New Testament this Greek word is used to refer to the snorting of horses, and when it's applied to humans it means expressing anger. This is where I think cartoons could actually help us.In old-school cartoons — like the Looney Tunes — it was really clear when the characters would get angry. Their faces would turn red and steam would blow out of their nostrils. That's anger.And the point is that the audience not miss the emotion!That's the point here in the use of this word.The New Living Translation actually nails it. They translate it “a deep anger welled up within him.” That's what the word means. Now why does it matter? Well, the word is repeated in verse 38. Look down at verse 38:“Then Jesus, deeply moved again [deeply angry again], [he] came to the tomb.”So that's twice in this scene that John tells us this. Which means he really doesn't want us to miss it. Jesus is angry here. He's indignant. He's furious. Jesus Is SadBut hold on a minute: before we import our own meaning of anger, we need to see more in this story. We know that whatever kind of anger Jesus has here, it's perfectly compatible with his holiness. Jesus never sinned, so this must be a holy anger. And there are three more words John uses here that fill in the picture. We have to see all of this together if we're going to have the right image.Notice back in verse 33, John tells us that Jesus was “deeply moved/angry in his spirit and greatly troubled.”Jesus being angry “in his spirit” means that he's under control — he's not flying off the handle. He's restrained.But at the same time his emotion is visible. Because notice that word in verse 33, “deeply troubled.” That word literally means to shake. B. B. Warfield describes it as “raging in himself … His inwardly restrained fury produced a profound agitation of his whole being …” Can you picture that?I know we all have ideas of what Jesus might have looked like (there's a few windows around here that could help our imaginations) — But whatever your imagination of Jesus is, it should be able to include everything the Bible says about him, and here we read that Jesus is so enraged that he's shaking. It's like he's about to explode, and says “Where have you laid him?” And then, verse 35, “Jesus wept.”Now who would have expected that?! He's raging in himself, and tears spill out.And when you see tears — when there's weeping — what does that mean? Even young children know what this means. This is part of early childhood development — teachers show children pictures of faces and have them match different emotions to each face. And when the teacher asks, “Which one is sad?”, the kids always point to the face with tears. Because tears means sorrow. Weeping means sadness. And in this story, Jesus is sad. That's what overflowed for everyone to see. Jesus is fuming with fury and he grieves with tears. Fury and grief — anger with sadness — that's the right image of Jesus here. That's what John is showing us.But why is Jesus responding this way? It has to do with what he encounters. First, and most obvious, he is surrounded by grief. He loved Mary and Martha, and Mary and Martha are both grieving; their friends and family with them are grieving, and so, at the most basic level, when Jesus weeps here, he's joining his friends in their grief.The people Jesus loves are sad, and he meets them in their sadness. He's with them. This is true sympathy. Jesus is a good friend. But the anger part — what is that about? This is where we have to look at what's behind the grief.In this story, what has caused the grief?Death.Warfield writes,The spectacle of the distress of Mary and her companions enraged Jesus because it brought poignantly home to his consciousness the evil of death, its unnaturalness, its “violent tyranny” … In Mary's grief, he contemplates the misery of the whole human race and burns with rage against the oppressor of men…It is death that is the object of his wrath, and behind death him who has the power of death and whom he has come into the world to destroy. Tears of sympathy may fill his eyes, but his soul is held by rage…Anger and sadness. Sadness and anger. Jesus Is ZealousIt's really important to see what happens next. What does Jesus do with these emotions?He doesn't sit there on his hands. But he's in motion. He's going somewhere with this. And, at some level, this is expected. Check out verses 36–37. This is how the friends and family respond. They see Jesus's emotion and think, “Wow, he really loved Lazarus!” And then some said, verse 37:“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”That's actually a smart question. It's the logical next question after you realize that Jesus really loved the man who died. It's clear that Jesus loved Lazarus, and we know Jesus can heal, so why didn't Jesus just heal him?I hope you see this is a form of the same question we talked about a month ago in our sermon “An Everyday Theology of Suffering.”The big question we talked about is: How can God be all-powerful and all-good, and suffering still exist?Remember that question? That's the big question. And that's the same thing going on here at a practical level: Jesus is powerful (he can heal), Jesus is good (he loved Lazarus). So … why is Lazarus dead in a tomb and Jesus upset about it?It's a fair question, and look, I think we're all just trying to figure it out. And maybe we think Jesus doesn't really have the kind of power we hoped he has — and if we think that, this next part is for us … Because Jesus, again, is in motion. He's going somewhere. Verse 38:“Then Jesus, deeply angry again, came to the tomb.”Get the image right in your mind. Jesus is walking up to this tomb furious. He's angry. He's sad. And he's zealous.Warfield on this part quotes Calvin. I'll read Calvin to you. He says:Christ does not come to the tomb as an idle spectator, but like a champion who prepares for a battle, and therefore we need not wonder that he again groans, for the violent tyranny of death, which he had to conquer, is placed before his eyes.Do you see it? Jesus approaches the tomb enraged because he is about to face our greatest enemy. And what does he do?He says, “Move the stone.” Martha says, “There's gonna be an odor.”Jesus says, “I'm here to show you the glory of God.”And then he looks up to his Father in heaven and says, verse 41,“Father, I thank you that you have heard me …”See, apparently Jesus has already been praying (and like Martha said in verse 22, whatever Jesus asks from God, God gives it to him). John wants us to know the Father and Son are in this together. Verse 43: “When Jesus had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice …”That word for “cried out” is the same word used later when the crowd will cry out “Crucify him! Crucify him!” The word means to shout. And John also adds “with a loud voice.”You gotta picture this. Jesus is not making a mild suggestion here. This is a loud shout from a heart enraged. He's shouting it loudly in defiance of death.“Lazarus, come out.”Verse 44,“And the man who died came out …”See, they don't even call him ‘Lazarus' anymore — they call him “the man who died” — because he did die, but now he's alive. And Jesus says,“Unbind him, and let him go.” Those words are significant. It means that Jesus, the resurrection and the life, has set the dead man free. Just like Jesus will set us free — not free from the end of our physical lives in this world, but absolutely free from death.Jesus, see, is zealous to save! He's zealous to display the glory of God and accomplish our everlasting good, which are one in the same.In this story, John uncovers the heart of Jesus for us.B. B. Warfield writes,Not in cold unconcern but in flaming wrath against the foe, Jesus smites in our behalf. He has not only saved us from the evils that oppress us; he has felt for and with us in our oppression, and under the impulse of these feelings has wrought out our redemption.Anger against our enemy. Sadness in our grief. Zeal for our salvation.This is the heart of Jesus. What a Savior!2. Why Does It Matter?Now, Part Two: What difference does this make in our lives?I'd like to close with an application. And there's a hundred things we could say! A hundred things we could takeaway. But for now, I'm just gonna focus on one: In discovering Jesus's heart, we discover the kind of hearts we are called to have as his people.We can't be content to only admire him, but we must follow him as our example — especially in our witness. Because Jesus shows us what a holy heart looks like toward a fallen world.We see it in the mingling of his anger and sadness — anger toward the ultimate enemy, and sadness for those who suffer. Indignation for the father of lies, sorrow for those captive to lies.I think the best name for this posture is what we might call brokenhearted boldness. (That's a Piper phrase.) Brokenhearted boldness.And we get the boldness part. That is so vital in our day. It's the courage to call evil evil. To hold our ground on moral clarity. To pray imprecatory psalms against the workers of Satan. And we do it with confidence, in Luther's words:The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him;His rage we can endure,For lo! His doom is sure;One little word shall fell him.We mock the devil! We mock death! This is boldness!But it's brokenhearted. Because at the same time that we resolve never to compromise truth, we weep for the world that's lost it. Together with the firmness of our conviction, we have the tenderness of compassion. We're brokenhearted, because Hell is real, and we know people who will go there. And we don't want them to. Brokenhearted boldness.And honestly, it's easier to recognize it than to describe it, so I'll tell you a true story…Just recently I was having lunch with one of our members, a college student. And he was telling me about a class he's in right now, and the professor is off the rails. The professor says there are at least 12 different genders, he openly mocks God in the classroom. And this student is disgusted by it. He told me he's spoken up in class, he's tried to dialogue with other students. He said, “But my classmates are so influenced by this professor. … They're just eating it up. They're all choosing a path of lies.”And as he said this, his eyes filled with tears, his voice began to crack; he had to stop talking and look away … And I thought: “That's it.”That's brokenhearted boldness.That's the heart of Jesus showing up in his people.It's not a witness of swagger. It's not brash or belligerent, not snide or snarky, not cruel or crude, but it's embracing truth with tears — a supreme love for God and a sincere love for people.It's a miracle, church, to have hearts like that! And would that God work this miracle in us! We want to be more like Jesus as we point to him and what he's done. That's what brings us to the Table.The TableBefore we can ever imagine being like Jesus, we have to first be saved by Jesus. And that's what we celebrate here.The heart of Christ is an example we can follow, but the cross of Christ is the unrepeatable accomplishment of our salvation — and we can only receive it.Christian, you know you can only receive it, so would you receive it afresh this morning? If you trust in Jesus, I invite to rest anew in this grace to you, and surrender yourself anew to his transforming work in your life.

Episode 2517. Next level insanity. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace

Not AGAIN, Labour comms team... After a week that started with a leadership kerfuffle and ended with an income tax volte-face (or was it..?), Naomi Smith and Kenny Campbell try to work out how sticking to a manifesto pledge can transmogrify into a U-turn. And there's a look at the unbelievable 'canal' of fly-tipped waste that has appeared in Oxfordshire, as we ask why Brits put up with this behaviour. Plus a wee bit of trauma to round things off... ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** • Buy something from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our bookshop here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. • Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quietriotpod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. • Or visit our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.quietriotpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Brought to you by Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou and Kenny Campbell. Edited by Alex Rees. ***SPONSOR US AT ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠*** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chuck Edwards - "Downtown Soulville" - 45 Music behind DJ: Bill Short and the Shocks - "The Blacksmith Rock" - 45 Eugene Church - "Good News" - 45 Nolan Pitts - "Middle of the Night" - 45 George Smith - "Long as I Live" - 45 Jackie Shane - "Comin' Down" - 45 Music behind DJ: The Silver Tones - "Midnight Thunder" - 45 Ruby Johnson - "Don't Start Nothing" - 45 The Ballad's - "I Can't See Your Love (For the Tears in My Eyes) (Pt. 1)" - 45 The Wonderettes - "I Feel Strange" - 45 Billy Prophet - "What Can I Do" - 45 Lorraine Chandler - "What Can I Do" - 45 Music behind DJ: The Rotations - "(Put a Dime On) D-9 (instrumental)" - 45 The Fabulous Apollos - "Determination" - 45 Moses Dillard and the Dynamic Showmen - "I'll Pay the Price" - 45 Jay Lyle - "How Good Can It Get" - 45 The Parisians - "Twinkle Little Star" - 45 Music behind DJ: Mell Hueston - "I Need Some Loving" - 45 Johnny Copeland - "It's Me" - 45 The McGee's - "So Tired" - 45 Willie Robinson and Rockin Imperial - "I Feel Alright" - 45 Etta James and Sugar Pie DeSanto - "In the Basement (Pt. 1)" - 45 The Exits - "You Got to Have Money" - 45 James Jones - "Whatever It Is You Got It" - 45 Fredrick Knight - "Steppin Down" - 45 https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/158221

Wings, Beers, and Tears Episode 192

Episode 2516. Not missing out. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace  

Guest: Mel - @Villgecrazylady on X. Mel burst on the scene with some amazing X research posts. She's been on Glenn Greenwald's show and mentioned numerous times by Candace Owens for her zionist take downs. Mel online:X: https://x.com/VillgecrazyladyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrevProhibitedFIND US ON SUBSTACK Substack:tylerjanke.substack.comBecome a LPR memberSubstack: tylerjanke.substack.comSpotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/libertypodreview/subscribeSupport the show with a purchase from Fox n Sons coffee. Use the promo code "Review" for 18% off an order of $25 or more. www.foxnsons.comLPR On Other PlatformsRumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1988814Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/libertypodreviewLocals: https://libertarianpodcastreview.locals/Odysee: https://odysee.com/@LPR:bSubstack: tylerjanke.substack.com

In today's episode of "Moments of Grace", Pastor Al Dagel reminds us of David's model for our prayers, even when there are tears. 

On the latest edition of Caught Offside, Andrew and JJ give the 6 soccer stories most fixed on the radar right now. We'll hit on MLS' calendar change, Ireland's upset of Portugal and Reyna opportunity with the national team. Plus, MLS' calendar wasn't the only major change that the league experienced during the day; we'll discuss the Apple adjustments. And, we'll break down Jude Bellingham's uncertain place with England as well.For even more Caught Offside content, get on over to Caught Offside Plus right now! We've just posted an awesome mailbag addressing everything from where we'd most want to live if it couldn't be America or Ireland to the player we'd most want to clone and have play at all 11 positions. To sign up, just go to https://caughtoffside.supercast.com! Once you have access to the premium feed, be sure to go back and check out our special "welcome episode" from June 24th, 2024 (we don't think you'll be disappointed)!And for all the latest merch, get over to https://caughtoffsidepod.com/---Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CaughtOffsidePod/X: https://twitter.com/COsoccerpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/caughtoffsidepod/Email: CaughtOffsidePod@gmail.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@caughtoffsidepod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Superbowl Champion Terrell Suggs aka “T-Sizzle” joins Cam in studio for a freewheeling episode of the Off the Edge with Cam Jordan Podcast. The defensive standouts discuss their shared Arizona roots, Terrell’s recovery from two Achilles tears, and what made Michael Vick the hardest QB to sack. Terrell also explains why winning a Superbowl is almost better than seeing your baby being born. Plus, Cam puts Terrell through a trivia game to test how much he remembers about standout moments from his illustrious career. The Off the Edge with Cam Jordan podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Superbowl Champion Terrell Suggs aka “T-Sizzle” joins Cam in studio for a freewheeling episode of the Off the Edge with Cam Jordan Podcast. The defensive standouts discuss their shared Arizona roots, Terrell’s recovery from two Achilles tears, and what made Michael Vick the hardest QB to sack. Terrell also explains why winning a Superbowl is almost better than seeing your baby being born. Plus, Cam puts Terrell through a trivia game to test how much he remembers about standout moments from his illustrious career. The Off the Edge with Cam Jordan podcast is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeart Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, things get a little emotional as Melissa opens up about the heartbreaking loss of her beloved dog, Ivy. Jill and Kelly rally around their friend, sharing what it means to show up for someone when they're hurting. Through the tears, they still find moments to smile — from Kenzie being home (and the two of them heading to bingo!) to all the excitement of Thanksgiving coming up. Jill's getting ready for her family's talent show, and the girls are looking forward to a special weekend wedding where Paige, Brooke, and Kenzie will all be reunited. It's an episode about love, loss, friendship, and finding gratitude — even in the hardest moments.Have a question for the moms? Leave a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/deardancemom and you might be part of a future show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

                                                     BLACK SHIRT MIXTAPE                                                       **Episode 109**                                                              Join host Jesse Karassik aka @heyyyyy_jesse as he takes you on a 2 hour sonic journey playing mixtape inspired tracks in a variety of genres- all for your listening (dis)pleasure!   Tracklisting:   1. Wouldn't It Be Good...Danny Hutton Hitters 2. Old World New World...INXS 3. One Step Ahead...Split Enz 4. Shock The Monkey...Peter Gabriel 5. The Beat(en) Generation...The The 6. State of the Nation...Fad Gadget 7. Chant No 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)...Spandau Ballet 8. All Cats Are Grey...The Cure 9. Babooshka...Kate Bush 10. Winning...The Sound 11. Hungry, So Angry...Medium Medium 12. Sunshine in the Shade...The Fixx 13. A Sort of Homecoming...U2 14. King for a Day...Thompson Twins 15. Dream Into Action...Howard Jones 16. Dog Eat Dog...Adam & The Ants 17. Asleep...The Smiths 18. Oblivious...Aztec Camera 19. Birthday...The Sugarcubes 20. Add It Up...Violent Femmes 21. The One and Only...Chesney Hawkes 22. Book of Brilliant Things (live)...Simple Minds 23. Ideas As Opiates...Tears for Fears 24. Country Sweat (live)...Oingo Boingo  

00:00:28 Opening + Baldur's Gate 3 Deluxe goodies unboxing (stickers, patches, OST, map)  00:05:48 Dead Finger Dice stream recap  00:06:33 ARC Raiders check-in + community vibes and AI ethics chat  00:21:05 Possessors (Heart Machine) first impressions  00:24:22 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment impressions (Tears-era story, Zonai toys)  00:37:28 PlayStation Portal update: cloud streaming without owning a PS5, hands-on  00:44:43 Valve hardware talk: Steam Machine cube, Steam Frame, new Steam Controller, Deck pricing chat  01:07:59 Plugs and closing------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This Week on The Casual Hour…Valve looked to make a big splash with their announcement of the Steam Machine, a consolized PC with a slick new controller. We talk about what that means for the future of PC gaming, as well as what it means for Valve's console competitors. All that plus Hyrule Warriors and Possessor(s) talk on this edition of The Casual Hour!// T W I T C H  &  Y O U T U B E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------M W F @ 9 PM CSTtwitch.tv/thecasualhouryoutube.com/thecasualhour// S U B S C R I B E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------https://www.youtube.com/thecasualhourWe post Casually Considereds and VODs from previous streams weekly!// F O L L O W------------------------------------------------------------------------------------One link to rule them all: www.thecasualhour.com// T H E   C A S U A L   H O U R------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bobby Pease - https://linktr.ee/bob_ombyChase Koeneke - http://Linktr.ee/chase_koeneke// M U S I C------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Love our theme music? It was created by Patric Brown. You can follow his antics on Twitter @insaneanalog or check out more of his music and download our theme at www.insaneanalog.com

Aubrey Masango chats with Celeste Louw, the General Manager of Operations to unpack what TEARS is, the services it provides, and why its survivor-centred model continues to stand out as one of the most vital responses to gender-based violence in the country. Tags: 702, Aubrey Masango show, Aubrey Masango, Celeste Louw, Tears Foundation, GBV, 16 Days of Activism The Aubrey Masango Show is presented by late night radio broadcaster Aubrey Masango. Aubrey hosts in-depth interviews on controversial political issues and chats to experts offering life advice and guidance in areas of psychology, personal finance and more. All Aubrey’s interviews are podcasted for you to catch-up and listen. Thank you for listening to this podcast from The Aubrey Masango Show. Listen live on weekdays between 20:00 and 24:00 (SA Time) to The Aubrey Masango Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and on CapeTalk between 20:00 and 21:00 (SA Time) https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk Find out more about the show here https://buff.ly/lzyKCv0 and get all the catch-up podcasts https://buff.ly/rT6znsn Subscribe to the 702 and CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfet Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Lyrics Of Their Life – The Story Behind, we delve into the devastating  tragedy that inspired one of the most moving ballads ever written, “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton. As we examine how the deeply flawed Eric Clapton confronted unimaginable grief after the tragic death of his four and a half year old son Conor,  who tragically fell 53 storeys from a New York apartment building in 1991. As we discover how such tragedy and heartbreak could inspire a song that would resonate with millions around the world providing many with the hope for an eventual reunion in the afterlife. This episode was written, researched, narrated, edited and produced by Adam Hampton. If you enjoyed this episode feel free to click the free subscribe or follow button and leave the podcast a positive 5 star review on Itunes. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, Instagram and our website at www.lyricsoftheirlife.com. To support the podcast further and myself as an independent podcast creator you can find us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month or Buy Me A Coffee as a one off donation of your appreciation. All these links can be seen below. Thanks to every single one of my listeners. Cheers your host Adam Hampton. Support The Podcast - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Lyricsoftheirlifepodcast Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lyricsoflifepod Socials -  Facebook Official Page: https://www.facebook.com/lyricsoftheirlife Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/441708960400475/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyricsoftheirlife/ X: https://x.com/lyrics_their Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lyricsoftheirlife? Website: www.lyricsoftheirlife.com Rate The Podcast -  Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lyrics-of-their-life/id1521842063 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2Dj0muwHSsoWocFGPUgCnT?si=fa49e66e73d84933 Featured Playlists (Listen to the songs spoken about in every episode)-  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/16j22czj103i68fdypqzbco07?si=8bbee318907c488c Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUiXxJhUKPwFhvd3F-Cm84w

Godwin's “Speedo situation” steals the show early, and Martin confesses to a major parenting blunder that has the potential to ruin his duck hunting season. Uncle Si meets a little girl named Lydia who's fighting a terminal illness. Her mom, Morgan, shares how one small $16 miracle has revealed God's hand in every step of Lydia's journey. Si is moved to tears, and John-David, who knows firsthand what it's like to watch your child face medical challenges, urges anyone who's able to help this brave family in their time of need. If you'd like to help Lydia and learn more about her fight, see the link in the show notes below. https://www.gofundme.com/f/SaveLydia Duck Call Room episode #500 is sponsored by: For 30% off your order, head to HarvestHosts.com and use code DUCK https://donewithdebt.com — Start building the life you deserve and talk with one of their strategists today. It's FREE! https://covepure.com/DUCK — Get the special $250 holiday discount when you use our link! https://duckstamp.com/duck — Get your all-new digital duck stamp today. It's easier than ever! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back for season 3 of The Big Podcast. Today Shaq welcomes Anthony Anderson and together they play a hilarious game of dominoes. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Big Podcast.New Customers Bet $5 Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins PLUS 3 Months of NBA League Pass! The Crown Is Yours! Sign up using https://dkng.co/bigpod or through my promo code BIGPOD. #DKPartnerLook to Lunazul Tequila – 100% Agave Tequila…Where tradition outshines trends….available at a liquor store near you. https://lunazultequila.com/Shaq-A-Licious. New fun shapes + flavors are out now: XL Sweets meets XL Style. Shaq-A-Licious Sneakers.It's what they thought that counts. Shop https://jcp.com. Yes, JCPenney!Download the Gametime app today or http://Gametime.co for $20 off your first order with code BIGPOD. Terms Apply.This episode of The Big Podcast is sponsored by our friends at The General. The General has been offering quality coverage for over 60 years. They offer flexible payment plans, the ability to pick your due date, and low rates and low down payments. Visit http://TheGeneral.com today, to get a quote. And it wouldn't be The Big Podcast without The General.Subscribe to The Big Podcast YouTube Channel to watch more episodes!Follow us on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/bigpodcastChapters:00:00 Intro03:10 Shohei Ohtani's greatness05:40 Bonding w/ Eddie Murphy over farting10:20 DraftKings segment11:43 DraftKings ad12:35 Gametime ad13:50 Anthony's stalker19:25 Which movie is this from?24:25 How Shaq landed roles with Adam Sandler25:30 Shaq vs Free throws28:00 JCPenney ad29:00 The General ad30:20 Reaves or Linsanity?32:10 Thoughts on Luka & Lakers33:36 Black People Sh#t vs White People Sh#t41:25 Shaq-a-licious ad42:00 Lunazul ad42:45 Tom Brady roast44:17 Bombing on stage49:55 AC Barbeque51:40 Shaq's business motivation56:00 Hilarious game of dominoes01:10:00 EndingGAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY).Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD).21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Terms: draftkings.com/sportsbook. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Fees may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. Must register new DraftKings account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFOREplacing min. $5 bet to get 1 promo code to redeem complimentary 3-month NBA League Pass subscription, and max. $300 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Bonus Bet expires in 7 days (168 hours) and stake removed from payout. Token expires 11/23/25. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. NBA League Pass: Subscription auto-renews monthly at then-current price (currently $16.99/mo); cancel anytime. Terms, restrictions, and eligibility requirements apply. Redeem League Pass by 12/19/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Addt'l terms: https://support.watch.nba.com/hc/en-us/articles/9165532876183-League-Pass-Terms-of-Use_. Offer ends 11/16/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.#nba #lakers #shaq #bigpod #basketball #bigshaq #bigpodcast #comedy #humor #miketyson #boxing #jakepaul Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The InPowered Life Podcast, host Rudi Riekstins reflects on transformative lessons from the recent men’s and women’s retreats he co-hosted with Aniston Riekstins. Through honest conversation and real stories, Rudi explores the deep emotional challenges men face — from suppressing vulnerability to striving for strength at the cost of connection. He reveals how authentic communication and emotional openness can heal relationships, foster intimacy, and inspire true transformation. The episode also draws parallels between men’s and women’s experiences, emphasizing that everyone longs to be seen, heard, and accepted as their authentic selves. From dismantling outdated stereotypes to building self-connection and mutual understanding, this conversation offers practical tools for living with greater presence, purpose, and love. Listeners will walk away inspired to drop the masks, embrace emotional expression, and live more InPowered every day.

Episode 2515. Inside the 10. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace

We know mornings can feel like a battlefield when sensory issues and clothing collide, leaving kids (and parents!) frustrated before the day even begins. That's why this week's podcast episode dives into the heart of sensory struggles with clothes. Colleen has packed this episode with real-life advice for families navigating tactile sensitivities. If getting dressed feels like wrestling a porcupine, you're not alone—and you're not failing! Sensory struggles are REAL signals from your child's nervous system. Sometimes clothes feel prickly, itchy, or unexpectedly uncomfortable and it can lead to meltdowns. The triggers are diverse: tactile defensiveness, unpredictability (new tags or seams), anxiety, or simply needing more control over their experiences. Comfort First: Building a Supportive Wardrobe Colleen encourages a "comfort audit" this week: set aside 10–15 minutes with your child and sort clothing into keeps, maybes, and no ways. Let your child lead—by touch, feel, or trying on—and honor their decisions. Once you have your "green light" pieces, build a 3–5 piece comfort capsule wardrobe: fewer choices mean less morning stress. You've got this! Links and Resources from Today's Episode Thank you to our sponsor: CTC Math – Flexible, affordable math for the whole family! The Lab: An Online Community for Families Homeschooling Neurodivergent Kiddos The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Resilient Sons: A Boy Mom's Guide to Building a Strong, Confident, and Emotionally Intelligent Family The Anxiety Toolkit Navigating Sensory Overload: Actionable Strategies for Kids in Loud Environments Building a Sensory Diet Toolbox for Neurodivergent Kids at Home Playful Sensory Learning at Home: Five Senses Spinner Managing the Holidays with Sensory Kids with Sarah Collins Self-Care and Co-Regulation | Balancing Parenting and Sensory Needs Respecting Your Child's Sensory Needs: When You Have to Say "No" Sensory Science Activity: Perfect For Your Homeschool Embracing Art and Its History for Kids With Sensory Issues Yard Work for Sensory Input Pumpkin Play Dough | Sensory Fun for Kids Sensory Play with Spice Painting Sensory Play for Kids

"My baby went from fussy to lifeless in hours—by the time we reached the PICU, they said he might have had six hours to live." In this episode, TikTok Influencer and Medical Mom Marlee Brandon, a pediatric speech-language pathologist turned full-time mom, shares the whirlwind diagnosis of her 12-month-old son Bain with Type 1 diabetes and severe DKA, the traumatic hospital stay, and the everyday advocacy that followed. Raw, practical, and deeply hopeful. Why this episode matters Emotional clarity: what a Type 1 diagnosis really feels like in infancy Practical advocacy: scripts, choices, and language that help toddlers cope System gaps: when even major hospitals say "we've never seen this in a baby" Hope forward: raising a confident kid who knows why care matters What You'll Learn Early signs & ER visit: how "ear infection" symptoms masked T1D in a baby DKA in plain language: what "acidic blood" means and how PICU treats it The learning cliff: carb ratios, breastfeeding while dosing insulin, and why it's OK not to "get it" on day one Toddler coping: give choices, narrate care, build independence Rebuilding trust after mistakes: when training/tools aren't perfect Finding your people: groups, podcasts, and creators who answer "what now?" Timestamps 00:00 Meet Marlee (pediatric SLP → motherhood) 01:40 Why speech therapy & pediatrics 03:55 Bain turns one → sudden "ear infection" → nonstop vomiting 06:30 Small-town ER: "He has diabetes" (dismantling stereotypes) 08:35 Life-flight & PICU: severe DKA, hourly sticks, no food for 48 hrs 10:20 Turning the corner: energy returns; the six-hour window 11:22 "I don't understand this"—carb ratios, nursing, overwhelm 13:05 "We've never seen this in a baby" at a major children's hospital 15:23 Tears → handing tasks to partner → first solo shot 17:20 The Chick-fil-A moment: necessity builds confidence 18:44 Finding community: Facebook groups, YouTube, TikTok 19:55 Narrating care for toddlers—SLP tools that build trust & language 21:19 Offering choices: stickers, shot sites, pushing the button 22:53 Caregiver reality: self-care with very young T1D 24:32 Why daycare felt unsafe: syringe mix-ups & trust 25:54 Joy check: rocks, crafts, and a kid excited by everything 27:56 Best resources for newly diagnosed families 29:52 "Diabetes doesn't define your life." Marlee Shares that... "Type 1 isn't about weight or diet—my baby was still nursing." "They told my husband he probably had six hours to live." "I thought I needed nursing school to understand our endo." "I won't chase him with a shot. I explain why—insulin keeps you safe." "You can be anything and do anything…and have diabetes." Resources & Links Support communities Diapers & Diabetes (Facebook group for infants/toddlers with T1D) Juicebox Podcast Related Child Life On Call resources Explaining shots, blood draws and vaccines to kids   SupportSpot App (by Child Life On Call) Procedure guides, coping plans, journals, and parent resources to feel prepared and advocate with confidence 

The 2025 World Pickleball Championships had everything — drama, emotion, controversy, and the best pickleball of the year.

Dr. Gordon Neufeld is a developmental psychologist with over 50 years of clinical experience and a graduate degree from the University of British Columbia, where he taught psychology for 20 years. He is the author of the international bestseller "Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers", co-authored with Dr. Gabor Maté.His groundbreaking contributions to developmental psychology include the six stages of attachment development, the construct of counterwill, and his revolutionary understanding of how tears and futility drive human adaptation and transformation.In this profound conversation, Dr. Neufeld explains his attachment framework and why feeling futility is essential for both childhood development and adult healing.

Love the show? Have any thoughts? Click here to let us know!We're headed to the Keystone State — Pennsylvania! We share two vastly different stories that have the same eerie question: are they fact or fiction? First, Lauren dives into the chilling case of Miranda Barbour, a young woman whose shocking confession blurs the line between truth and tall tale. Then, Kenzie unravels the legend of the Squonk, a pitiful creature said to wander Pennsylvania's hemlock forests, weeping over its own less-than-desirable appearance. But when cornered, the Squonk's sorrow takes an even stranger turn—and you'll have to listen to find out what happens next. Join us as we investigate whether there's any truth behind these heartbreaking stories.--Follow us on Social Media and find out how to support A Scary State by clicking on our Link Tree: https://instabio.cc/4050223uxWQAl--Have a scary tale or listener story of your own? Send us an email to ascarystatepodcast@gmail.com! We can't wait to read it!--Thinking of starting a podcast? Thinking about using Buzzsprout for that? Well use our link to let Buzzsprout know we sent you and get a $20 Amazon gift card if you sign up for a paid plan!https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1722892--Works cited!https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dq_0tJvFgEFuU1ZpZQ3E_LcuLc-RrTML8fSt9ILWb6k/edit?usp=sharing --Intro and outro music thanks to Kevin MacLeod. You can visit his site here: http://incompetech.com/. Which is where we found our music!

Episode 2514. 4th quarter friction. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace  

Episode 2513. Sign of decline. Featuring a cover of Tears of Gold by Violet King. Blunt Talk Podcast is guaranteed TO LIFT. X Fitness is committed to lifting in body, mind, and soul. There is enough depressing news. We won't add to it. Good Inspirational News Only. Free, permanently archived downloads compliments of X Fitness. Blessings & all good things. #peace  

"They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't. They can. They can't." Dianna Russini says the Dolphins can win the Super Bowl. Yeah, you read that right. She also says some things about her parenting skills involving deer, dinosaurs, and Santa Claus that horrify Dan so deeply that he threatens to call child services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

-- On the Show: -- Jo Carducci, host of Sane(ish), joins us to discuss Trump's unraveling behavior, GOP spin on healthcare and the economy, and how voter frustration is shaping the road to 2028 -- Speculation ramps up about the 2028 presidential election as Gavin Newsom polls ahead of potential Republican contender JD Vance -- Mike Johnson discusses the Republican healthcare plan, which promises lower costs, increased access, and better quality while ignoring basic economic constraints -- Donald Trump misleads on healthcare, economic perceptions and policy while clashing with Laura Ingraham in a chaotic interview -- Trump panics over potential Supreme Court rulings on tariffs and posts alarming messages on Truth Social about national security risks -- Donald Trump criticizes Marjorie Taylor Greene and others while falsely claiming $2 gasoline and misrepresenting economic policies -- Trump advisor Kevin Hassett misrepresents grocery price trends and promotes a 50-year mortgage plan that worsens affordability -- Supporters who voted for Trump face harsh economic consequences and express frustration and disappointment -- On the Bonus Show: Trump slams unpaid air traffic control workers, Canada loses its measles elimination status, MLB players charged in gambling scheme, and much more...

We're dropping this episode ON TIME in order to let you know that Grand Theft Auto 6 has been delayed. What can we possibly do to fill ONE ENTIRE YEAR until it's released? Well, off the top of my head: we could play a bit of Simpsons Fortnite, we could try the demo for Dogpile, we could review the new Tears of the Kingdom prequel Hyrule Warriors - Age of Imprisonment, and then we could record a podcast about all of those things... That should take us 365 days or so, right? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark and Kenny celebrate the end of Season Seven with a wide-ranging conversation about the Rebel Heart Tour - and it's Heart Rebel companion, Tears of a Clown. Topics include Q-Tips, thumb ailments, the comment flurry, Saturday Night Online, bathrooms, Grimes, ART, Billions, Bar Six, diehard fan finances, Kyle Richards, Kevin Antunes, Semtex Films, Michael Jackson, cages, union rope pullers, distancing vocals, Shogun, the Monte mullet, postulants and prophets, the power of red, leather caps and chiseled abs, pretzels, ukuleles, reuniting with Sean Penn, One Battle After Another, John Mulaney, the delight (and danger) in revisiting the hits, spiral staircases and subway escalators, casseroles, Cirque du Soleil and ABBA, cape nods, cafeteria politics, the MEDLEY, boxing in Detroit, David Bowie, Let's Dance, Labyrinth, Mick Jagger, Annie Lennox, detours, Paris, clowns, cast albums, Jerry Lewis, Grace Jones, deep cuts, cosmopolitans, Charlie Chaplin, thinking about Mirwais, raising money in Miami, covering Britney Spears, disrespectful fans, sandwiches, Valencia Gamble, flappers and scene work, slides, Edith Piaf, suffeRING, special guest bitches, flags, a special visit to Minneapolis, and how Madonna uses her speech at the Billboard Women in Music awards to begin to define her future. PLUS – the grading system returns, Kenny has a brand-new podcast idea, Mark brings back the Tribal Talking Stick, and Madonna takes to the streets with her guitar. “Joan of Arc said I could do it ALL!” Special Thank You to Simon Delaney for his Tears of a Clown memories. Dedicated to the memory of the brilliant and life-changing David Bowie.Rebel Heart Tour video directed by Semtex Films (2016)Rebel Heart Tour video directed by Billy “BigasBilly” Riegelmann

Seth and Sean get petty again and listen to others being petty in an all Jaguars focused version of the PettyCast.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Chris Hoklotubbe and Dr. Danny Zacharias about their book Reading the Bible on Turtle Island and how Indigenous wisdom invites us to see Scripture through a different lens. We explore how the Bible, written by tribal people deeply connected to land and kinship, calls us back into right relationship with Creator, creation, and one another. Chris and Danny share stories that connect the Trail of Tears to the exile in Babylon, the teachings of Jesus to the call of Jubilee, and how truth-telling and reconciliation are part of our ongoing discipleship. This conversation challenges the transactional faith that has shaped so much of Western Christianity and reclaims a relational vision of faith grounded in love, harmony, and gratitude. It's a reminder that reading the Bible through Indigenous eyes doesn't just reveal something new about the text, it helps us remember who we are and how to walk the bright path of Jesus together.H. Daniel Zacharias (PhD, Highland Theological College/Aberdeen) is a Cree-Anishinaabe/Métis and Austrian man originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba (Treaty One territory), with ancestors also residing in Treaty Two, Treaty Three, and Treaty Five territories. He lives in Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia) with his wife, Maria, and four children in Wolfville, NS. He is associate dean and professor of New Testament studies at Acadia Divinity College, where he has worked since 2007. He also serves as an adjunct faculty for NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community.T. Christopher Hoklotubbe (ThD, Harvard) is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He is the director of graduate studies of NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community, the first accredited Indigenous designed, developed, delivered, and governed theological institute. He is also assistant professor of classics at Cornell College (Mount Vernon, Iowa). He is the author of Civilized Piety: The Rhetoric of Pietas in the Pastoral Epistles and the Roman Empire, which was awarded the Manfred Lautenschläger Award for Theological Promise. He and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters and live near Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Chris & Danny's Book:Reading the Bible on Turtle IslandConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Contact me to advertise: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.com Support the show

Ole Miss authored one of college football's greatest modern upsets nearly two decades ago.The Rebels walked into The Swamp in late-September of 2008 and stunned No. 4 Florida and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. The play everybody still remembers — the one that ultimately swung the game — was former Rebel defensive end Kentrell Lockett's blocked PAT.Lockett joined the Spirit's Ben Garrett and Sudu Upadhyay on the latest episode of Game Runs Deep.Our Sponsors:* Check out Underdog Fantasy and use my code CHAMPIONS for a great deal: https://underdogfantasy.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is finally out, and the guys have a lot to say about it! We go over our early impressions, detailing which playable characters we like, how we found the Sync-Strike system, how Tears of the Kingdom's Zonai devices are integrated into gameplay, what we think of the story so far, if it stays true to its claims of being canonical, and how the game starts off weirdly fast and slow at the same time. Lots of thought floating around, so come and get in on the action and tell us what you think! This episode does contain spoilers for chapter 1 and 2 of Age of Imprisonment!! Going forward, we'll be sure to very clearly state which chapters we cover so nothing gets ruined for you! If you want, save these episodes and come back when you're ready!   Support The Zelda Cast on Patreon! Subscribe to receive the monthly bonus show ‘The Zelda XL featuring Andy and Gooey”! Follow The Zelda Cast! The Zelda Cast (@TheZeldaCast) Andy Spiteri (@Spiteri316) Alasyn Eletha (@AlasynEletha) Twitch x Facebook x Discord x Tik-Tok x BlueSky Advertise on The Zelda Cast! See Options Here! Subscribe to The Zelda Cast! Apple Podcasts x Podbean x Spotify x iTunes x Google Podcasts x iHeart Radio x PlayerFM

  We are continuing our miniseries where we pay tribute to one of my favorite podcasts, Revisionist History, hosted by the well-known author Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell describes Revisionist History as a podcast about things overlooked and misunderstood. There are many injuries or problems we see […]

Acts 20:13-38   13 But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene.15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.        17 Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. 18And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and withtears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment andafflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel ofthe grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone aboutproclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made youoverseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able tobuild you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"        36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.   Key Words: Humility, Tears, Trials, Teaching, Constrained, Guard, Wolves, Give Keystone Verses: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood. (Acts 20:28) It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)     Download Bulletin

The Dirty 30 brings you the best 30 minutes from Dirty Mo Media every Friday — the funniest, wildest, and most jaw-dropping highlights from your favorite shows.This week, Dale Jr. and TJ Majors react to JRM coming up short in Phoenix for the Xfinity Championship.On Door Bumper Clear, they breakdown the final pitstop and the decision by the 11 team to take 4 tires vs the 5 team taking 2 tires.And finally, on Bless  Your ‘Hardt, Dale and Amy explain how they scared their kids And for more content, check out our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMediaReal fans wear Dirty Mo. Hit the link and join the crew.