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266. Choosing Fun and Adventure in Your Marriage and with Your Family: An Interview with Dan & Sam Mathews   Isaiah 55:12 MSG “So you'll go out in joy, you'll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause. No more thistles, but giant sequoias, no more thornbushes, but stately pines— Monuments to me, to God, living and lasting evidence of God.”   *Transcription Below*   Dan and Sam Mathews have been married since 2014 and currently reside in Missouri with their two kids, Canyon and Ember. Since the moment they got married, Dan and Samantha have been living a life of sacrifice and faith. From backpacking in Arkansas to RV road trips across the US, they have always taken the adventurous route. Sam is a lifestyle vlogger and content creator, and Dan hosts a hunting podcast in addition to his social platforms. Together they share their life of adventure online with millions of followers. Follow them on socials @wearedanandsam.    Thank You to Our Sponsor: Sam Leman Eureka   Questions and Topics We Cover: What are a few adventures you're so grateful you said yes to in life? Matthew 25:26 MSG says, "That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that!" So drawing your wisdom from the Lord, how does your faith fuel your sense of adventure?  How can we begin to enjoy an adventurous life in our marriage and with our family?   Other Episodes Mentioned from The Savvy Sauce Podcast: 82 Traveling with Your Family with Katie Mueller 242 Stories Series: He Gives and Takes Away with Joyce Hodel     Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger:  (0:11 - 1:47) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today over 55 years later at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka.   Owned and operated by the Burchie family, Sam Leman's Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com.    Dan and Sam Mathews are my guests for today, and you may know them from all the social platforms at WeAreDanAndSam.   They live a life of high faith and delightful adventure, and their book, Always Choose Adventure: One Couple's Journey of Chasing the Things in Life That Matter Most, is actually going to release this month. I would highly recommend it. It was an amazing read.   I read through it so fast, and it was a great combination of enjoying the stories but learning so much along the way. It's kind of like our chat for today. We're going to cover various stories, but Dan and Sam are also going to give us simple and practical ideas and tips for adding a sense of fun into our marriage and into our family life.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Dan and Sam.    Dan Mathews: (1:47 - 1:48) Thank you for having us. We're excited. We are really excited.   Laura Dugger: (1:49 - 1:59) Well, I'm so excited to journey back and get to hear more of your story, but will you first just give us an overview of what current life looks like right now?   Sam Mathews: (2:00 - 2:29) Yes. Currently, I'm 22 weeks pregnant with our third baby. We have two kiddos.   Canyon is almost nine. Ember is seven. We live in Southern Missouri.   We love adventuring and traveling, and Dan hunts. We share life on every platform, so just lifestyle, vlogging, and sharing our adventures. We recently settled down in a home, and so this is our first time doing DIYs for ourselves.   Yeah, it's a fun season right now.   Dan Mathews: (2:29 - 2:46) And Sam loves to host, so I think we have 48 parties scheduled this summer and knocked out a couple already, but yeah, we're excited about life, excited about adventure, and sharing that with people and how they can actually get out and adventure more.   Laura Dugger: (2:47 - 3:01) You do that so well, but if we're going back then to more of the origin stories, will you both share your journey of growing up and your stories that eventually led for the two of you to overlap with one another?   Sam Mathews: (3:01 - 3:37) Yeah, definitely. It's always been me, my mom, and my sister. My mom was a single mom raising us, born in California, but then she moved us to Southern Missouri when I was young, and this was a great place to raise us.   In the Bible Belt, we were raised pretty much in church. She did an amazing job as a single mom, just caring for us and pointing us to Christ. We got plugged into a church very early on.   We volunteered there. My sister and I worked there. We attended there, and so we're really involved, and that's how I met Dan when he came to Bible College.   Dan Mathews: (3:37 - 4:58) Yeah, I grew up in central Wisconsin. We went to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, was very, very involved with the kid's ministry and youth group and just any opportunity I could be around that church community, I was. We had a group called Master's Commission that would come up and do outreach at our church.   They were from Florida, and I was like, man, I want to do that one day. These guys are awesome. They're doing human videos, and they're all musical.   My dad's brother and his family moved down to Southern Missouri, and I get a call one day right after high school. They were like, “Hey, there's a Master's Commission program down here. If you want to do it, we'll pay for it.” I was like, “Sure, let's do it.” Almost no questions asked, just kind of like, all right, tell me the date I have to be there. Then, I started packing stuff up and quit my job and moved down knowing absolutely nobody. I got plugged into the church. I became very, very involved, and then just built a community, and through that, I went there with Sam's sister, her older sister, and I got to know Sam, and then I ended up working out at the gym that she worked at.   Sam Mathews: (4:59 - 5:00) Which was at our church.   Dan Mathews: (5:00 - 5:15) Which was at the church, and so we were just around each other all the time, and that kind of developed over years and years and years. Then one day, I was like, wow, this chick is awesome, and now we're here doing podcasting.   Laura Dugger: (5:16 - 5:32) Which is incredible. Okay, so just to pause, and you go into more of these stories, love your books, so easy to read, but can you take us back to what you both first thought of one another when you were meeting those days at the gym? Oh, gee.   Sam Mathews: (5:33 - 6:22) For sure, Dan is the life of the party, like he is comedy, and just, he has all the jokes, and definitely a charmer with all the ladies, but so fun to be around, and not only his humor draws you in, but I didn't grow up with a father, and so I liked the, I don't know, like strong aspect that he had, just like the confidence, and then his relationship with the Lord was something that I desired to have for myself, you know, a leader in a couple like together, someone to point me towards Christ, but the lightheartedness and jokes and humor keep the hard days fun, but that for me was, you know, I always can count on you for a good joke.   Dan Mathews: (6:23 - 6:41) Yeah, I, when I first met Sam, it was kind of in a group setting, and it was with her older sister with my younger brother, and it was like, oh, this is, you know, Justine's sister. Little sister. Didn't really think a whole lot of it, but after a couple years, I think you were probably a sophomore at that time when I first met you.   Sam Mathews: (6:41 - 6:42) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (6:42 - 7:36) And, and then after a couple years, it was like she was volunteering in the youth group, and she was on the recreation staff at our camps, and so it's like we were spending more time together, and I'm like, oh, Justine's sister's kind of cute, and yeah, we started, we started just kind of a friendship. We were just around each other all the time. I mean, like before we were dating, we're really interested in each other.   It's like I was walking back from the lake, and she'd hop on my back, and I'd just give her a piggyback ride up to the cabins, and then looking back, I'm like, wow, our lives just were really intermingled and overlapped for years and years, but early on, she was younger. She had braces. She was a hip-hop dance instructor, so I mean, she would have like one sweat pant leg rolled up, high-top Nikes on all the time, like thought she was the coolest thing ever.   Laura Dugger: (7:36 - 7:52) I was. I didn't think. Oh, that's amazing.   I love that, and my husband and I were also friends first, and I feel like that does set you up well in marriage. Like you've got your built-in buddy.   Sam Mathews: (7:53 - 8:30) Exactly. I was going through pictures yesterday, because I was going to post a trend online, and it was like, oh, how cute. How many months have you been married?   And it's like months? You put a picture for every year, and it's like we've known each other since like 2008, maybe 2009. Then, like started our like dating in 2010. I look at pictures of us from 2010 as a couple. I'm like, oh, my gosh, we've grown so much just like, you know, like physically, but even just relationally and spiritually, and like it's crazy looking back, and so thankful for so many years of friendship with him, but you know, relationship-wise, it's been great.   Dan Mathews: (8:30 - 8:52) Well, and I feel like doing life together is a great model before ever like the romantic side comes in. You get to know the person in group settings. You get to know who they are without the interest, because people can put on a different face once you're trying to impress somebody, you know, but we were just being our genuine selves around each other for a long time.   Sam Mathews: (8:52 - 8:59) Probably saw some stupid moments, some hard moments, but that's, yeah, that's what you want to see before you get into a relationship with someone.   Laura Dugger: (9:00 - 9:12) Absolutely. Yeah. And as we're starting back that far, then when you reflect back, what are some of the adventures that you're most grateful you've said yes to in life?   Sam Mathews: (9:13 - 10:38) Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I feel like dating, we weren't even dating at this point, the canoe trip when you did a master's commission, and that was so fun.   It was like all of his friends, my sister, all the master's commission group went kayaking, and I decided to tag along as a sibling, and his brother did, and maybe a couple others. And that was fun, but it also gave me an opening into how Dan adventures, because his way of adventuring is way different than mine. I grew up, like I said, with a mom.   We would camp at a cabin, and you'd pack the car full of everything you need. Dan would literally just put everything in a backpack and hike in two miles to go camping. And so being in that group, going kayaking, it was so fun, and it sparked this new love for adventure and new desire to learn a new way of adventuring.   That was so fun. I mean, that was before we were married, but this is kind of jumping far ahead, but when we were married, we moved to Colorado for a couple of years, and although it was a hard season for us, we learned so much. We gained so much from it.   A lot was birthed in us in that season. I mean, physically, I welcomed my daughter. We welcomed our second child in Colorado, but spiritually, I think God planted a lot of seeds that it may not have been a tangible adventure of being out in the woods, but spiritually, we were in the woods, and we grew so much, and I'm glad we said yes to it because it opened the door and led to so many other things.   Dan Mathews: (10:38 - 12:31) Yeah, I feel like a lot of our adventures, some are traditional. I mean, a big adventure for me was leaving home. I mean, I moved straight out of my parents' house to a different state, and that was totally crazy for me.   But then watching Sam, I mean, she moved out to California for a summer, went to a ministry out there. Then I saw her go to Colorado and Nanny for a couple, all summer long, and so I was like watching this, and we were talking, and I realized, like, we're both all in on an adventurous life, and even when we don't have the answers, it's like, is the Lord telling you not to do it? No?   Okay, well, then we'll see what happens, and I thought that was really cool to watch her just like, oh, I'm going to California for a summer, and at first, I was like, please don't. I don't want you to come all the way to California, but then I was like, that's going to be so incredible. Like, you're just leaving everything behind and starting over for a whole summer in a different state, and so that was like the early dating years where we were kind of doing our own adventures, but we were watching and encouraging each other in doing them, and then we started actually going out and camping and floating rivers and hiking up waterfalls, and if you've never camped in the backcountry with someone, I suggest doing it. It's a great metric for if there's someone you want to marry.   Like, if you can figure out canoeing and camping, you're probably going to be okay in marriage. That's good. And so, yeah, we started doing that stuff, and then from there, it was just like one after the next, going to Alaska, camping in grizzly country by ourselves, and it's our first time there.   Like, we've done some pretty wild things, some pretty traditional things, but at the end of the day, all of the adventures are what brought us together.   Laura Dugger: (12:32 - 12:45) Well, and just thinking of the adventure that drew you together, and then also your current platforms on socials and vlogging and preserving all of these pictures, like you said, you've captured all the pictures throughout the time.   Sam Mathews: (12:45 - 12:45) Yes.   Laura Dugger: (12:47 - 12:58) When you look back, do you feel like God had given you little seeds of what was yet to come or what kind of career you would be in someday, or was this totally a shock to both of you?   Sam Mathews: (12:59 - 13:57) You know what? Looking back at pictures or even videos that I took, I could see how it was something that the Lord was birthing in us, and I would say probably me so more than Dan. I think Dan's like, whatever you want to do, I'm along for the ride type of thing.   It probably wasn't his first choice as a career, but now that we're in it, we love it and we're thankful for the blessing it is to our family and the time that we get to spend with the kiddos. But I look back and I started videoing and taking pictures like years before even starting on social media, and then even the first few months in the year of sharing, it was like I didn't know what I was doing, but I still wanted to just share life and encourage people and love on people and inspire people. And yeah, it's crazy to look back on, but I also see the work the Lord was doing to get it all started before we even thought about it and knew that it would be something that we'd be doing.   Dan Mathews: (13:57 - 16:00) Yeah, and I feel like with Sam, she gets promptings from the Lord that she doesn't know what it is. She doesn't know what it means. And early on, I think the very first one, she's like, babe, I just have this feeling like a big change is coming.   And I'm like, anymore? Like, do you have any more information for me? That's not a whole lot to go off of.   And I mean, in the conversation, I was like, okay, we'll see. Then I just forgot about it. And I mean, it was like the next day.   There was an issue at work, just a very immoral thing that they were asking us to do as employees. And I was like, no, I can't be part of this. And I called her right after, and I was like, babe, I think this might be it.   Like I'm going to resign tomorrow. And we talked and prayed, and I only had like a five-minute car ride home. We talked, prayed, got off the phone, and immediately I get a call from my buddy.   And he's like, “Hey, dude, don't know what you're doing for work right now, but I've got a job for you if you want to come work at this place I'm at.” And I was like, “Oh, my gosh.” So then two years later, the same thing happened.   She's like, I feel like a change is coming. Boom, big change. Two years later, I feel like a change is coming.   All of a sudden, we're in a car moving out to Colorado. And it was just like that cycle. And so now when she's like, hey, there's a change coming, I'm like, oh, my gosh.   I got to pack my bags. Something big's happening. I know something major is happening.   And so, I don't know that early on either of us expected us to be where we are today. But we knew that we wanted to prioritize time together. We wanted to prioritize time with our kids and above all of it, time with the Lord.   And if we could get those three in the right order, it didn't really matter where we were. It didn't matter what state we were in. If we were living in a bumper pole camper, an RV, a tiny home, or a regular sized house, we just knew that we had to prioritize those things, and everything was going to work out.   Laura Dugger: (16:01 - 18:03) Truly. And that's the promise from Matthew 6:33, that you're really living that out. And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Burchie family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago. If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed.   They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible.   They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple, Welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different. I've known Sam and Stephen and their lives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today.   Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business. Learn more at their website, samlemanchevy.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. You can also call them at 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.    There's a verse that you quoted in your book, and I had never read it before, in the message translation.   So, it's Matthew 25:26 that says, “That's a terrible way to live.” It's criminal to live cautiously like that. So, drawing your wisdom then from the Lord, how does your faith fuel your sense of adventure?   Sam Mathews: (18:04 - 19:50) Yeah, a lot of faith and trust. Several points in our life have been like a crossroads where we feel like we want to almost desire more out of everything to go towards the direction where God is leading us, where we don't know the outcome. We don't know what's ahead.   We don't know what's coming and it's forcing us to trust the Lord, to have faith, even though we're fearful of it. Or we look at another option where it's like, you know what, this is very comfortable. We know the outcome.   We know what's going to be required of us. We know how we're going to get there, how we're going to pay for it. And it was something we didn't desire.   We liked being in a position where we needed the Lord. We're reliant upon Him. And so, you know, we talk often in the book about being comfortable.   And I feel like when you're in a comfortable setting in life, it's safe. There's no risk involved. There's little to no trust in the Lord.   I say that, you know, there's more to the story of that. But that you don't want to be at a place where you don't need God, where you don't need to rely on Him. And so, for us, we just encourage people that if you do find yourself in a comfortable place, to maybe step out of your comfort zone a little bit.   To what's an area where you need to trust the Lord more? Is it finding that new job that you've been waiting for, that you've been hoping for? Is it moving to the state that's closer by your family or closer by your friends that you really desire but you're scared too?   To not just be comfortable and stay for the sake of not being fearful or not, like knowing what's next, but instead step out, trust the Lord, you know, as long as you have peace and as long as you feel that yes from Him. And just lay fear aside and move forward with the Lord.   Dan Mathews: (19:50 - 21:54) Yeah, with every big decision that we make, we're led by peace. And we've said it for years. If either one of us don't have peace about it, we're not doing it.   But when there are multiple doors open, we say we're going to choose the most adventurous one. If we don't feel a specific direction from the Lord, let's just pick the most adventurous one. And it's kind of become common practice for us to not have really many of the details planned out on a major decision on a trip.   And people are like, do you have any idea of what you're going to do when you move there? Or how long you're going to be traveling the country in an RV? And we're like, nope, we'll figure it out.   I joke with my buddies all the time because they're like, “I mean, how do you know everything's going to be okay? How do you know this?” I go, well, between me and God, we've got everything figured out.   And they're like, “Oh, okay, I get it.” I'm like, “well, the Lord has everything figured out, but I can throw myself in that team, you know?” And I feel like it's been an encouragement to some of our friends as they watch it.   And they're like, whoa, you guys did it. I'll talk about it for years. And even when we moved out to Colorado, in our minds, we were going to move out there.   All of our friend group was like, one person needs to move. And then everybody else is going to slowly follow out. Well, we end up moving out there.   And I'm like shooting my buddies messages like, “All right, when are you coming out? And one by one, it was like, “No, I don't think we're coming.”   No, it's not going to be for at least five years. It's going to be, you know, maybe when the kids graduate, all of these different responses. And I'm like, man, that was one of the biggest things that we missed when we were out there.   But we knew that moving to Colorado, taking a pay cut, paying more in rent, like all of those things were a stepping stone to get us to where we were today, to trusting the Lord and starting our first business together, trusting the Lord with our finances, with our time. And really putting us in a position where we were fully dependent on him for our survival.   Sam Mathews: (21:54 - 22:40) And so even if something doesn't work out, we mentioned a couple of stories in the book where we may have moved forward without peace, and it did not end well. But the Lord always brings it around and teaches us something from it or a situation where we felt the peace to move to Colorado, but we were only there for two years. It was hard on us financially.   We got into debt. We had no friends, no family out there. It was a hard season.   We still gained from it. So instead of looking at something as a complete loss, we still look to find the good. You know, what did the Lord birth in us?   You know, like Dean said, spiritually, we grew together. Financially, we started a business. Like so much good came from it that even though it maybe on paper or to others, it didn't make sense.   It was still good. And something that the Lord, yeah, started for us.   Laura Dugger: (22:41 - 23:05) And you've learned those lessons and now you get to share them with others. Even super practical with this one. Our family has never done the RV thing before, but even just dipping our toes in and trying a vacation that way.   What tips do you have for families, maybe who aren't traveling around, living out of their RV, but vacationing with one, what are some of your best tips?   Sam Mathews: (23:05 - 24:27) I just saw a video of someone sharing the other day where they took their family of, let's see, four, six total on an RV for the first time. And I was like, oh no, because the first warning I give to everyone is you have to drain your poop through the hose. If you're out on that, RV life is not for you.   RV vacation is not for you. Do you have to get down and dirty and take care of a few things? There's a lot more maintenance that comes with RV vacationing or RV life.   And I usually have the dirty work for Dan to do and I'm inside cooking, cleaning. But an RV has all your basic needs. You can still go to the bathroom, you can still shower, there's a toilet, there's a bed.   It's just on a lot smaller scale. And if you're not good with being in close proximity with all your children or your spouse, then you may just need a little bit of a bigger space to stay in. But it's fun because you get to navigate it together and you get to learn just a new way of life or new way of traveling.   And yeah, the maintenance of the restroom, you have to have water hookups, or you need solar for electric or you have to be hooked up to electric. The great part is you can go anywhere, and you can get right up close to some great adventures. Our favorite spot to park an RV is the rim of the Badlands.   It's so pretty. Is it the North Rim?   Dan Mathews: (24:28 - 24:28) Yeah.   Sam Mathews: (24:28 - 24:54) It's gorgeous. You wake up to the sun rising over it and it's the most peaceful thing to be right there next to it. And you can't do that with a cabin in the woods.   But the benefit to a cabin in the woods is that's its own adventure. And so just do a little bit of research on the maintenance required for setting up, tearing down the RV in order to get on the road and to like park it and set up.   Dan Mathews: (24:55 - 26:44) I like how you weave some of the worst parts about our RV life in there. But I will say being on the road, traveling and like just kind of deciding on the way is one of the greatest things ever. I did not, like we definitely had a plan.   It was like, “Hey, we're gonna stop one time.” Growing up, we've got five kids. So, it was like, we're stopping one time to go to the bathroom.   If you have to go, you're just gonna have to hold it type of thing. We were fairly structured in the traveling to a place. But being in an RV, it really opens up so much to where you can on the way be like, oh, I just saw a billboard.   I wonder what that is. Look it up. How far away is it?   Hey, what if we take a 45-minute detour and go check this out? Like we found places in the middle of Kansas that 1% of the population knows about. We camped.   There's spots that you can camp on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Like no guardrail, back your vehicle right up, walk out the door, sit there, have coffee or whatever in the morning. And that was like our favorite part about it.   There were nights that we would drive until like one in the morning. And we might be sleeping in a truck stop. But we were on the way to Glacier National Park or to the Oregon coast or wherever.   And so, I feel like ditching the schedule and just kind of figuring it out as you go is one of the most freeing things on a vacation. And the other nice part about it is if you find a place that you absolutely love and you're like, we want to spend four days here, do it. You don't have a new reservation somewhere else that you have to get to.   You can just go wherever the wind blows, have fun with the family. And yeah, I think everybody needs to do it at least one time.   Laura Dugger: (26:44 - 27:02) Oh yeah, for sure. What a great challenge to step outside our comfort zone like you said. Well, one other amazing adventure that you've embarked on together is becoming a surrogate twice, I believe.   Will you tell us a little bit more about that process and that experience?   Sam Mathews: (27:03 - 31:10) Yeah, definitely. So, in 2018, we had our daughter and she was a little bit more work than our first. So, our first was super easy.   Ate well, slept well, like barely cried. And our daughter, maybe it was just her being a girl. A little bit more needy and required some extra grace and some more prayer for patience on my part.   But at that point, I was like, yeah, I think I'm done. Having children of our own and parenting our own children because even raising two kids is going to be a task. But I didn't feel like I was done carrying children.   And I'm like, I still want to have babies, but I don't want to have more to parent. How do I do that? But I felt like the Lord just laid surrogacy in my heart.   And I started thinking about it, praying about it, researching it. And I brought it up to Dan like, hey, what would you think about me doing this? And I had to educate him a little bit on like what being a surrogate was.   As a gestational surrogate, I wasn't carrying an embryo with an egg that was mine. So, I'm not biologically related to the baby. And after some prayer, we both felt at peace about it.   And so, we walked through that door and started the process of meeting a couple or going through an agency to start a journey. And yeah, we've done two now. So, in 2022, I delivered a baby boy for a couple.   And then in 2024, so just last year, I've just actually in a few days, I'm going to hit my year mark of my second belly bud being one and a little girl for a couple. And it was like the most, one of the greatest adventures I've been on. And I've gained so much from it.   And it's so rewarding to see someone who desires to be a parent, to be a mom, but physically can't. To see them walk that road and just step into the role that like watching her become a mom is like, you can tell that's what she was meant to be. That's what the Lord had for her.   And it's so fun seeing the joy of their family and watching her grow up and like being a part of her life. That, yeah, like we just encourage other people, if you're able to do something like that, or no matter what it is, it's not just surrogacy, but if God's calling you to something that may require a lot more from you or something that is not normal, it's not traditional, you don't see it a lot, like just step out and do it. And yeah, it's been fun.   It definitely grouped Dan and I closer together. Spiritually, he was there for me in times of emotional hardship. Pregnancy in itself is hard, but to do it multiple times, you know, this is my fifth pregnancy now.   There's a lot of roles that he takes on to care for the kids more, to care for me more. And we've grown closer and just his love for me, seeing it that even though it's not our baby, like he's still caring for me and taking care of me as if it was. And the Lord, I've had to rely on the Lord so many times because pregnancy and birthing in itself is a miracle.   To go through moments of transfer, like the embryo doesn't always take the first time on a transfer or your levels are off or maybe one of the ultrasounds is, you know, something doesn't look good on it. We're constantly relying on the Lord and it gives us an opportunity to share with intended parents, you know, someone who didn't have hope, didn't have anything to look forward to for parenting their own children, to just like be an encouragement to them spiritually and then share these journeys with others publicly has been a great way just to share our faith and to share how going through a surrogacy journey caused us to rely on the Lord and, you know, point everything back to Christ and, you know, God being just very pro-life and we're excited to bring this life into the world.   And so, yeah, definitely a big adventure to embark on to bring two babies into the world that aren't ours, but one of like the greatest things I've ever done. It's awesome.   Laura Dugger: (31:11 - 31:25) It's a beautiful sacrifice and I'm sure others are also wondering at that moment when you meet the baby that you've been carrying, how did you handle those emotions of sharing the baby?   Sam Mathews: (31:25 - 33:42) Yes. Yeah, definitely. So, when you go into surrogacy, you know, from the beginning that it's not your child, especially as a gestational carrier, not related to it.   Throughout the pregnancy, all these milestones that you hit, you're excited for it, but you're excited for it for the parents. So, finding out, you know, there's a heartbeat and seeing the baby for the first time on ultrasound, you're excited for them. Finding out the gender, you're excited for them.   You know, delivering the baby, you're excited for them that you do a lot of mental prep, but there's also like a lot of research that shows to like plan something after delivery for your family to do, something for you to do with your kids so that when you do leave the hospital, you don't think about what you don't have anymore. You think about what you do have at your house with your family. And so, it may seem hard.   I think a lot of times people compare it to adoption where the birth mom is literally giving up her child to somebody else and the hardship that that would cause on her as a surrogate. And I can only speak for myself because I'm sure there are times where it is hard for a surrogate. But for me, it wasn't because I did a lot of mental preparing, emotionally preparing that I knowing that this child wasn't mine going into it.   I knew that at the end of it, I would deliver the baby and the baby would be taken from me and I'm not raising this child. And a lot of times you don't even touch a baby until like maybe you're discharged to see the baby before you leave. So, it's not like I'm delivering the baby.   The baby's being given to me and I'm holding and I'm bonding with it. And then it's being taken away. It's no, this is from the moment it comes out of the womb.   It is their baby and it's in their care. And again, seeing their face, their joy, the moment where like they're seeing their child for the first time is so rewarding. And that's something that I would never want to take from them.   It was never my role to be this baby's mother. It was to just carry their baby and to bring their baby into the world. And so, it's not as hard as you think, thankfully.   I mean, I wouldn't have done it a second time for sure if it was. And we're praying about a third one. But it's so rewarding.   And yeah, you know from the beginning that it's not yours. So, it's easy to, in a sense, pass the baby off.   Laura Dugger: (33:43 - 34:56) Well, that's a story that really encapsulates stewardship. I think that's a great example.    Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights?   Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy.    For both of you, your lives are just fascinating mostly because you're living this life of faith and sacrifice. So, it's compelling to get to hear how you're actually doing that. But then I love how you call out that you don't recommend people go to the other extreme and become reckless and chase adventure. You discern between choosing adventure and chasing adventure.   So, I'm wondering if you can give us any of your definitions or parameters around what choosing adventure does and does not look like for you.   Dan Mathews: (34:57 - 38:00) Yeah, I think that choosing adventure for us is looking at opportunities where we can spend as a family, where we can get outside of our comfort zones and just really put it in the Lord's hands. Have fun along the way, you know, whether it's ziplining or jumping off a cliff, like a lot of people think adventure has to be this grand thing and super dangerous. And for us, it isn't really.   Like there's been a couple of times where we've been like, this got crazy quickly. Maybe we could have planned it out a little bit better. But at the end of the day, it all worked out.   And so, when we talk about people choosing instead of chasing or not being reckless, it's all about like, do something new, do something fun, do something that puts you outside of your comfort zone, but isn't going to put you in a bad position. I'm not the guy that's like, you know what? Never swam across Lake Michigan.   I'm going to give it a go, see how it happens, and see what happens. If that's the case, it's like maybe start out with a triathlon and see what you're going to do and work your way up. And so, I don't ever want anyone to take the book or take the things that we say or the adventures that we've had in life and think I'm going to do something absolutely crazy that doesn't make sense.   That's not logical. That's not safe. Like, that's not what this is about.   It's about just getting outside of your comfort zone. And the more you're outside of it, the more comfortable you become with being uncomfortable. And I tell people, like on some of my backcountry hunts, I want to be comfortable in suffering.   Like when I'm really, really struggling physically to climb up a mountain with a 70-pound pack on my back, I want to be like, I know I'm making it out of this. It's not fun in the moment. Like it hurts.   My legs are burning. My back hurts. I feel like I need a break, but I'm going to keep pushing through.   And when I look back on that, I'm going to go, that was brutal and awesome. And I loved every second of it. And I feel like that's how, how we view our trips, our road trips.   I mean, driving, what was it? Thirty something thousand miles in a couple months and visiting dozens and dozens of states. It was like, there were times where it was like, I don't want to be on the road anymore.   The wind is literally about to tip the RV over. I'm almost taking out construction cones or running into things because I had never driven an RV before. And the very first place we go is Wisconsin.   And we drive right past Chicago and there's like construction for a hundred miles. And so it's like all of those things, they were fun. Yeah, they were scary in the moment we got through, we were never in any real danger.   And so, yeah, I feel like it's a stair step when it comes to adventure. I didn't start out just wandering around Alaska by myself. It started with going down to Arkansas, being five miles away from the vehicle and then kind of built from there.   Sam Mathews: (38:00 - 39:50) Yeah, to not be reckless, like to, you know, we talked about this earlier to move forward when you have peace. And just because you have peace with it, someone else may not understand it. But with peace, like there's wisdom too.   You don't want to move forward with a lack of peace and not using wisdom in a decision because yeah, that will get you in trouble and that will cause hardship and pain later down the road. But if you have peace about something and there is that open door and you feel the release from the Lord to go on this adventure, then do it. And even though if it doesn't work out, you know, God will still work everything out.   But yeah, like Dan said, when you, the more you do things that are outside your comfort zone or that, you know, even others may not agree with, but you feel at peace with and you're moving forward, the easier it becomes to do those. And the more you would trust the Lord. And like you said, again, it doesn't have to be some grand adventure.   We encourage people that if they're new to choosing adventure and they're new to stepping outside their comfort zone, try like a new restaurant one day, go to like a new, I was thinking the other day, we live in Missouri and we always travel outside of Missouri for adventure. I'm like, we need to do a six-month adventure just within Missouri. Like we drove two hours South and through Missouri to go to Georgia last week.   And we were driving down this hill on one of the roads. I'm like, this looks like, it looked like Georgia already, or it looked like Colorado, the hillside and the trees and the fog, I'm like, this is beautiful. And I look down, I'm like, oh, we're still in Missouri.   So, there's so much to adventure and to explore in your own backyard or down your street that it doesn't have to be something crazy wild. We're not saying go, you know, jump out of a plane and skydive or something, but just start small, start where you have peace and where you feel the Lord's leading.   Laura Dugger: (39:52 - 40:26) That's great. I love having a handful of practical things. I think of my brother, Drew and his wife, Amanda, when their kids were really little, they just drew a two hour radius to see what places would be fun to go invest and explore.   Or for us, I would say one of our most recent adventures, we didn't know what it would look like on the other side, but it's become one of our favorite things in life and probably our best decision in parenting for us as we started homeschooling our kids last year. And it has been a wild adventure.   Sam Mathews: (40:26 - 40:27) That's an adventure.   Laura Dugger: (40:28 - 40:36) So, any other tips to get people started? Those are even trying the new restaurant. Yeah.   Anything else like that that you would say?   Dan Mathews: (40:37 - 42:13) The nice thing is that we all have this supercomputer in our hand or in our pocket all the time. And there are so many lists of like the top 10 places to see, places to eat. There's books that are just like places to canoe before you dive, places to hike before you dive, and they have all of this stuff listed out.   And so, it's not that you have to be a pioneer and find a new place that nobody's ever been before. Look at the research that people have done before you and look at lists, get on Pinterest or any social media platform and try to just figure out what are practical things that you can do. And then you can also say, how difficult is this going to be for me?   Do I really need to jump that far into it right now? Or should I just go to a local park that might have a cool cave that I can explore? Or maybe there's a creek near the house and like, what if we just go down there and see if we can find fish or crawdads or try to skip rocks?   My kids, that is one of their favorite things. I'm like, I love doing it as a kid. I didn't realize how exciting just the act of watching a rock skip on the water would be for kids.   And so there's, yeah, there's a million different resources online for things that you can practically do close to home. And it might, for some people, just be trying that DIY project instead of calling a carpenter to put yourself up, you know, or a handyman. Like, give it a try.   The worst that's going to happen, you have a hole in your wall. Now you watch a video on how to patch it.   Laura Dugger: (42:14 - 42:37) That's so good. And I'm seeing a theme. A lot of these are getting outdoors and nature.   That's always an adventure. But then I'm even thinking simple things in conversation, trying out a new question, even with a loved one. Or you said at the beginning that you love hospitality.   So inviting somebody new into your home. I think any of that novelty is just really good for us. Yeah, definitely.   Dan Mathews: (42:38 - 44:32) Yeah, I think even making it a point in conversation when somebody asks you how your day is, instead of just saying good and continuing on, actually stop and talk to them. Because a lot of people, their biggest fear might not be going on a road trip, might not be financial ruin. It might just be opening up and being vulnerable with another person.   And so it could be the person at the office that you've never actually had a conversation with. You know each other. You might wave when you walk by their desk.   But actually talk to them. Get to know them. Tell them about yourself.   And so the book has a lot of those types of things lined out where it's like it might not be physical. It might not be out in nature. It might be within your home.   It might be, I mean, some people need to do this with their kids. Like that might be the scariest thing is talking to your teenager. Like actually having a conversation.   And we're going to sit down and we're going to have a meal together and actually talk as a family. And so, yeah, it looks different for everybody. And that's one thing, because our passion is being outside.   Like Sam wants a houseboat. She wants to buy a houseboat and renovate it and live in it for a certain amount of time. And we've had other people who a bunch of homeschool families bought sailboats and sailed all around the world as they were homeschooling their kids.   And I heard that and I was like, yeah, yeah, we're going to have to do that at some point. But I know for a lot of people, just going outside is a big deal. And so it looks different for everybody.   We do give a lot of nature examples, but there's different ways for every type of person, every level of. What would you even call it? Social.   There's a lot of different levels to the social scale. And so no matter where you are, there's something for you to be a little bit more adventurous.   Laura Dugger: (44:34 - 44:42) OK, so like I said, you've made a compelling argument for getting outside of our comfort zone. Why do you think some of us resist this attractive lifestyle?   Sam Mathews: (44:43 - 46:46) Yeah, I think there's fear in it. There's sadly nowadays, you know, what will other people think of me? What will what if we fail?   What if we lose money? What if we what if I look a certain way that I don't want to appear to others? And that's where you just have to think back to Christ.   Like what is it? What really matters at the end of the day? It's how God views you.   And if you fail, oh, well, what if the Lord like just opens up so many doors and creates an avenue for you to get out? Or what if so much good comes from it that we can't be afraid of failure? Again, move forward cautiously with wisdom and with the Lord's peace and direction.   But in our book, we share one of our biggest adventures was going out to Colorado and renovating a van for five days. And we broke down on the side of the road, something no one wants to do in the desert, in the middle of twice. We did twice.   We broke down in the middle of Kansas and then in Colorado again. And it was we'll be honest, it was not fun. It was one of like the scariest times.   But looking back, like we're so thankful we did because so much good came from it. Like we met some amazing people who helped us along the way. And it's now one of our favorite stories to tell of encouragement that just because you say yes to adventure and just because something bad happens, it's not all a waste.   And I think, yeah, that fear just keeps people from being able to move forward and being like, you know what? Like I'm comfortable right here in my house, my kids in public school, not going anywhere because I know where my money's coming. I know like what's happening tomorrow.   I know how people are going to respond. And I'm just going to like stay here. Not that that's a bad thing, because the Lord needs people in every season in every situation.   But if he's prompting you to step out and to try something new, like don't be afraid of what's required from you or what could happen. You never know like where it could lead.   Dan Mathews: (46:47 - 48:10) Yeah, I think a lot of it is those few things, fear, pride, or just you believing that God isn't big enough or doesn't care about your situation. And unfortunately, a lot of people are there where I really want to try this, but like what if things go wrong? And for us, it's like when things go wrong, that's where the Lord provides.   That's where the Lord directs. That's where he leads. That's where his word can be the lamp to your feet and a light to your path.   When you're trying to do it all on your own and you're staying in this safety net of comfort, nothing amazing happens in that place. And so, we've seen it time and time again, the Lord's provision, the Lord's provision in our lives and not only the provision financially, but actually like setting us free from constraints like social constraints of like you have to work nine to five. We heard that over and over and over.   And I'm like, well, the nice thing is Sam and I are both hard workers and super driven, and I'm sure we could get jobs again. Yeah, so like worst case scenario, we run completely out of money and we go back to go back to work. And I'm like, what does failure actually look like?   And I try to get people to break it down for me. People who are like, I'm glad that worked for you, but that couldn't work for us. And I go, why?   Sam Mathews: (48:10 - 48:10) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (48:11 - 48:20) Like, why couldn't it work for you? And they're like, well, I like what happens if it doesn't work out? And I'm like, let's expand on that as far out as we can think.   Sam Mathews: (48:20 - 48:21) Even the worst.   Dan Mathews: (48:21 - 48:24) Like, does that work? Like, are you going to die? No.   Sam Mathews: (48:24 - 48:24) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (48:24 - 49:02) Like, no, you'll probably just come back home if it doesn't work out, you know? And so, trying to trying to show people that because the fear of the unknown is pretty significant to people. Something completely new to them that they've never tried it's really challenging to get people to take that first step.   But once they do, the second step is easier. The third step is easier. And pretty soon you're jumping and sprinting and you're like, whoa, this whole life is out here that I didn't even know existed.   So yeah, I definitely think it's those three, though.   Laura Dugger: (49:03 - 50:59) That's good. And it makes me think that typically the way that we grow our faith is action. We put our faith into action and God gives us with more faith when we're faithful with the little faith that we have.   And it also makes me think back, I believe it was episode 82, 82. Traveling With Your Family With Teacher, Wife, and Mother to 4,, with the guest, Katie Mueller. I'm going to link to it. I think you guys would love it where she parallels what God called people to do throughout the Bible with travel, what that looks like today, practical, fun things.   But Sam, something that you said reminded me of this when you're like, “Well, if nothing else, it's going to be a great story.” And she referred to that, like when things went wrong growing up on their travels, they laughed so hard about those memories. And in their family, they tragically lost their dad very unexpectedly.   Actually, her mom, I'll link to Joyce Hodel's episode as well. She shares that story. But their family has all of these stories and all of these memories from choosing adventure.   So that makes me start to think of marriage and family. And as we put that together with adventure, you guys always make adventure feel approachable, even in parenting. And I'm thinking on page 15, you wrote that as a kid, anytime you get to drive cross country, stay at a hotel or eat at a restaurant, it's an adventure for no reason other than it's a break from the norm, right?   And you know what? That's the whole point. Choosing adventure is about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new.   There's no right or wrong way to do it. So, with that in mind, Dan and Sam, how can we begin to enjoy this adventurous life in marriage and in family?   Sam Mathews: (51:00 - 51:49) Yeah. Bringing your kids along is such a fun, it requires a little bit more packing, but such a fun aspect to adventure. And going on date nights with your spouse, trying something new, experiencing it together, finding something you enjoy together, but realizing that it can also, there's another level of fun to have your kids along with.   And sometimes we'll drive 30 minutes away and stay at a hotel for a night just because it's a new place to go and the kids love it. And it doesn't have to be expensive. They go putt-putt and that for them is the greatest thing.   If you end it with ice cream, it's even better than the cherry on top, that it's just something fun for them. But yeah, realizing that it can be a family thing, but it could just be you as a couple too. But yeah.   Dan Mathews: (51:50 - 54:56) Well, and for kids, there's so much adventure to be had right at home or right in your backyard. I bought, I went to Walmart one day and I bought two extra large king-size sheets just so that we could do forts. I was like, I'm gonna put these in the closet and now I've got like the alligator clips and so I can clip them to different things.   And when it's a rainy day and the kids are bored and we're stuck inside, it's just a break from the norm. And then they'll be like, mom, dad, come see what we did. And they might build like a little shop where they sell us stuff inside of their fort.   Or they might make beds for us and for the stuffed animals and for our dog and all of these different things. And so, breaking out of the norm is just what adventure is. Like if they're not used to that, if they're not used to that time together, like some days it's, we're gonna go jump on the trampoline and they're like, wait, both of you at once?   Normally one of us is getting stuff done and the other one's hanging out with them. And when all of a sudden it's like both of us unexpectedly are walking to the trampoline, they're like, oh, family trampoline jump. If you need really good ideas for adventure and you're a parent, just watch Bluey.   If you haven't seen Bluey, that dad is awesome. And like we used to do the claw game. I would put all of their stuffed animals in my lap.   My thumb was the joystick and then my other hand was the claw and they had to move it and I would pick up the stuffed animals. And to them, it was the greatest thing they'd ever done. And we saw it on a cartoon.   And so, incorporating family into it, I feel like it's just, it's really easy. And aside from excuses, there's no reason not to get the kids involved in it. Also, there's a million books about getting kids outside.   And so, like checklists that they can do. Every national park, if for those that don't know or haven't visited national parks, I didn't know this because we didn't go to any national parks growing up, but your kids can become a junior ranger. They get these booklets and they get badges of the individual parks and they have to learn about nature and about the animals that are there and about the history.   And so that became a thing for the kids. Every place we went, it was like, “Oh, I need a junior ranger badge.” And I mean, they had wooden badges just lining their chest.   Like they were some war hero and they absolutely loved it. And so there's things like that locally in nature parks and stuff. But doing it together.   I mean, that's what it's all about. For me, I watched the guys on TV and I'm like, that guy just went to New Zealand by himself or like watching alone. I'm like, I don't want to do that.   It would be pretty crazy, I feel like. I think everybody needs some type of alone time here and there. But for me, I want to share this stuff with my wife, with my kids, with my buddies.   And so, yeah, that's what it's all about.   Sam Mathews: (54:56 - 55:07) Yeah, like you said, have those stories to tell with your family, of your family members. That way, if something does happen and they pass, you have so much to look back on of the memories you're able to share together.   Laura Dugger: (55:09 - 55:15) Absolutely. And to bring those up and share them with our kids while we are together. They love hearing stories about when they were little.   Sam Mathews: (55:16 - 55:16) Oh, yeah.   Laura Dugger: (55:17 - 55:29) And you guys have taken it a step further where you document it then and preserve. So if we want continued inspiration after this conversation, where can we go to follow you two and your adventures?   Sam Mathews: (55:30 - 56:08) Yes, we do. Our kids love watching our travels and stuff. We share along for videos and stuff on YouTube, Facebook.   But we share our life on every platform. We are Dan and Sam. Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook.   And then Dan has his hunting content over at the Nomadic Outdoorsman. And yeah, we share day-to-day life, what that looks like, lifestyle. But then our travels, our adventures, mom life, welcoming a new baby, our surrogacy journeys, whatever life looks like at that time and how we're enjoying it, what God's teaching us, where we're going.   And we laugh along the way, the encouragement and try to inspire you to live an adventurous, fun-filled life.   Laura Dugger: (56:09 - 56:28) Love it. We'll add links to all of those things in the show notes for today's episode. And you two may already be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge.   And so, as my final question for both of you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Sam Mathews: (56:31 - 57:15) Ooh, practical knowledge. Let's see. I would say with motherhood, don't think that, I don't know if this would be considered savvy sauce, but it's just a good reminder to myself that as a mom, you may think you're alone in something, you're going through it, and it's just you, but you're not.   You are with a community of people who are feeling the same thing that you're walking through, going through the same thing, and just reminding yourself you're not alone because I think it makes the journey a lot easier to know that there's other people walking through the same season, the same hardship, the same joy, the same trials as you. And it makes life a little bit easier when you feel less alone.   Dan Mathews: (57:16 - 58:26) I think for me, it would be that your kids are going to be an extreme version of what you are. So, if you're showing fear and decisions, if you're hesitant, if you're not trusting the Lord, that's gonna be compounded in their lives. And they're just a more magnified mirror image of what their parents are.   And so, we try to, in everything that we do, go, is this something that's gonna set up our kids for success? And it's not like, oh, we have to have money in the bank for them, you know, for a retirement fund one day or a college fund. I'm talking like everyday lessons.   If I put my phone screen in front of my kids, they're gonna do that more and more and more. If I prioritize things that aren't meant to be prioritized over my wife, they're gonna see that. And so, we try to be very, very clear about what our priorities are.   We try to live intentionally, showing them the right way to do things and being an example to them. And so, yeah, that'd be my savvy sauce.   Laura Dugger: (58:27 - 58:49) I love it. You two are so full of integrity and you definitely shine the love and the light of Jesus brightly by the way that you live. So, I know I'm leaving this conversation feeling very inspired to choose adventure.   And I just wanna say thank you for being my guest today.   Sam Mathews: Thank you so much for having us. It was a joy.   Dan Mathews: (58:49 - 58:50) It was a blast.   Laura Dugger:  (58:52 - 1:02:06) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone.   Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents

In 2021, Ukraine celebrates its thirty-year independence anniversary. During this relatively short period of time—when considered in historical terms—Ukraine underwent a number of drastic changes that have so far shaped the country's domestic and international environments. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine: A Contemporary History, 1991-2021 (Ibidem Press, 2021), edited by Georgiy Kasianov, Matthew Rojansky, and Mykhailo Minakov, guides its readers through the labyrinthine developments that provide a wide spectrum of views and approaches that help receive a better understanding of the contemporary history of Ukraine. While detailing how independent Ukraine was taking shape locally, the editors and contributors of the volume simultaneously position Ukraine in the international environment that arouse after the fall of the USSR. Ukraine is thus inscribed into the international political map, which further complicates and advances the surveys presented in the volume. After the collapse of the USSR, the country faced a number of challenges: in addition to learning how to construct and narrate its own history, the new independent state also had to find a way to present itself to the global community. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine outlines trajectories that illustrate a gradual process of the country's political awareness, ambitions, and maturity. Thirty years may seem like an inconsiderable amount of time for a new independent state. The material presented in the book proves otherwise. In a concise and yet acute way, the contributors touch upon the most challenging and sensitive issues which have shaped the recent history of Ukraine: ranging from the enthusiastic support of independence to the current Russian-Ukrainian war, the volume constructs a multilayered historical scene which at the same time invites further surveys and elaborations. Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed is a PhD student in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 2021, Ukraine celebrates its thirty-year independence anniversary. During this relatively short period of time—when considered in historical terms—Ukraine underwent a number of drastic changes that have so far shaped the country's domestic and international environments. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine: A Contemporary History, 1991-2021 (Ibidem Press, 2021), edited by Georgiy Kasianov, Matthew Rojansky, and Mykhailo Minakov, guides its readers through the labyrinthine developments that provide a wide spectrum of views and approaches that help receive a better understanding of the contemporary history of Ukraine. While detailing how independent Ukraine was taking shape locally, the editors and contributors of the volume simultaneously position Ukraine in the international environment that arouse after the fall of the USSR. Ukraine is thus inscribed into the international political map, which further complicates and advances the surveys presented in the volume. After the collapse of the USSR, the country faced a number of challenges: in addition to learning how to construct and narrate its own history, the new independent state also had to find a way to present itself to the global community. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine outlines trajectories that illustrate a gradual process of the country's political awareness, ambitions, and maturity. Thirty years may seem like an inconsiderable amount of time for a new independent state. The material presented in the book proves otherwise. In a concise and yet acute way, the contributors touch upon the most challenging and sensitive issues which have shaped the recent history of Ukraine: ranging from the enthusiastic support of independence to the current Russian-Ukrainian war, the volume constructs a multilayered historical scene which at the same time invites further surveys and elaborations. Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed is a PhD student in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

In 2021, Ukraine celebrates its thirty-year independence anniversary. During this relatively short period of time—when considered in historical terms—Ukraine underwent a number of drastic changes that have so far shaped the country's domestic and international environments. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine: A Contemporary History, 1991-2021 (Ibidem Press, 2021), edited by Georgiy Kasianov, Matthew Rojansky, and Mykhailo Minakov, guides its readers through the labyrinthine developments that provide a wide spectrum of views and approaches that help receive a better understanding of the contemporary history of Ukraine. While detailing how independent Ukraine was taking shape locally, the editors and contributors of the volume simultaneously position Ukraine in the international environment that arouse after the fall of the USSR. Ukraine is thus inscribed into the international political map, which further complicates and advances the surveys presented in the volume. After the collapse of the USSR, the country faced a number of challenges: in addition to learning how to construct and narrate its own history, the new independent state also had to find a way to present itself to the global community. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine outlines trajectories that illustrate a gradual process of the country's political awareness, ambitions, and maturity. Thirty years may seem like an inconsiderable amount of time for a new independent state. The material presented in the book proves otherwise. In a concise and yet acute way, the contributors touch upon the most challenging and sensitive issues which have shaped the recent history of Ukraine: ranging from the enthusiastic support of independence to the current Russian-Ukrainian war, the volume constructs a multilayered historical scene which at the same time invites further surveys and elaborations. Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed is a PhD student in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Christine Riccio & Natasha Polis talk all things nerdy in the book, tv, movie, pop culture, fandoms, and how they integrate into their adult lives. Today's they're discussing the Taylor Swift's The Life of Showgirl drop and having a ball discussing their latest pet peeves. and doing a special spicy GIVEAWAY! Links below!! Plus they chat Spiderman, Project Hail Mary, the Summer I Turned Pretty, The Wedding People, and more! Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/thosefangirls-podcast Main discussion starts at: 44:35 Today in Fangirl Tea Time: Join Christine and Natasha for more stories about their recent life escapades. Support the pod by joining the Forking Fangirls Patreon community: http://patreon.com/thoseforkingfangirls  Follow the visual show on our Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thoseforkingfangirls   Preorder Christine's new book THIRTY, FLIRTY, & FOREVER ALONE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1662532156 Add Thirty Flirty & Forever Alone on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230393104-thirty-flirty-and-forever-alone Check out Natasha's sewing classes: https://www.natashapolis.com/ Join our patron to get 10 dollars off the classes! Christine is going to a FREE library run Romance Con in Toledo, Ohio! Come hang on November 8, 2025! toledolibrary.org/romance-con Website: https://thoseforkingfangirls.com/  Email us feedback: thoseforkingfangirls@gmail.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoseforkingfangirls/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/forkfangirlspod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thoseforkingfangirls Get Christine's novel Attached at the Hip: https://a.co/d/grmPeVy  Check out the Selkie Collection and get 10% off your order with code TASHAPOLIS https://selkiecollection.com/collections/all

It can sometimes seem like there's an endless number of mutual funds for you to invest in. But not all of them are a right fit for your portfolio—and some aren't worthy investments at all. A popular feature from Morningstar's FundInvestor newsletter greatly shrinks the list and can help you home in on the winners. Russ Kinnel is the newsletter editor and senior principal of ratings for Morningstar Research Services. And he's here to brag about his thrilling funds list. On this episode:Let's begin with the idea behind the thrilling funds list. How did this get started, and what's the mission? You start with thousands of fund share classes. How do you narrow the list to a few dozen, and what are you looking for? Thirty-three funds met your high standards and made the cut, and they're all repeats. Did that surprise you? What kept some funds off this year's list?A select group of these standouts are making big bets. Let's start with the only thrilling fund from the diversified emerging-markets category.A trio of foreign large growth funds from Fidelity are focusing heavily on financials and industrials. What's their story, and what makes each of these unique? Can you describe the funds that are wagering big time on the tech sector? The healthcare sector has struggled this year. But some funds from Vanguard, Fidelity, and Dodge & Cox appear ready to benefit from a rebound, right? Talk about those funds. Where should fixed-income investors look if they're tweaking that side of their portfolio? Which income and dividend-focused funds are outshining their category peers? And finally, how can the audience test the funds in their portfolio against your thrilling list? Read about topics from this episode.  The Thrilling 33How Smart People Screen for FundsStop Screening Funds This WayWorried About a Market Selloff? These 10 Funds Reduce Portfolio RiskThe Big Secret to Long-Term Investment SuccessHoly Smokes! These Funds Could Get Barbecued4 New Funds on Our RadarMorningstar Medalist Rating for Funds What to watch from Morningstar. Market Volatility: Investors Are Seeking Safety in Gold ETFs. Is It Working?Why Bonds Belong in Your Diversified Portfolio (Even Now)Covered-Call ETFs Are Booming. But Not All Yield Is GoodThis Dividend Investing Strategy Deserves a Second Look Read what our team is writing.Russel KinnelIvanna Hampton Follow us on social media.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/X: https://x.com/MorningstarIncInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstar... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/5161/

Thirty years ago, the institutions intended to protect Chicago's most vulnerable residents melted in the face of a brutal heatwave that killed over 700 people. Ben riffs. Eric Klinenberg, who wrote the book on what happened, talks about how the heatwave exposed inequities that plague Chicago to this day. How Mayor Daley tried to dismiss the deaths as relatively insignificant. How the media was too chicken to challenge Daley. How the city council fell in line with the Boss. How the powers that be looked the other way because the people who died were low-income. Eric's book, published in 2002, changed the narrative. It's called Heatwave: A Sociological Autopsy of a Disaster in Chicago. I urge you to read it. Eric is a sociology professor at New York UniversitySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thirty-five years ago, David found himself trapped in his apartment in the middle of the night with a threatening stranger. On the season finale of The Storyworth Podcast, David brings us back to that night and explains why he didn't feel like he could share the scariest moment of his life with his family.

Thirty-five years ago, in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, the largest American military deployment since Vietnam. On Monday, August 11 at 7:00pm ET, the Veterans Breakfast Club hosts a special 90-minute livestream conversation with veterans who served during this critical moment in modern military history. Operation Desert Shield began in August 1990, just days after Saddam Hussein's forces stormed into Kuwait. As the world watched with rising alarm, President George H. W. Bush ordered a massive mobilization to defend Saudi Arabiaand deter further Iraqi aggression. Over the next six months, more than 500,000 American troops—alongside coalition partners from 34 nations—were deployed to the Persian Gulf, building up a formidable military force in the desert. Joining us will be Scott C. Stump, a Marine veteran who is President, CEO, and founder of the National Desert Storm Memorial Association. Scott served in eastern Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and conceived the memorial idea and has led the charge ever since. He marshaled private fundraising—including critical support from Kuwait—and steered the association through years of design approvals, legislative hurdles, and permit process. The National Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial is now rising near the Lincoln and Vietnam Veterans Memorials on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. It honors roughly 700,000 Americans who served in the Gulf War of 1990–91, grounded in a concept first envisioned in 2010 and formally authorized by Congress in 2014. Stump's determined leadership helped secure the March 6, 2025 construction permit and kick off building work, with a projected dedication in spring 2026—bringing to fruition a memorial born of both personal service and long‑term advocacy This program will also focus on the Desert Shield buildup itself—the staging, logistics, training, and uncertainty that defined Desert Shield: What was it like to deploy to Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of 1990? How did troops prepare for a possible war that was still months away? What do veterans remember about the sense of anticipation, camaraderie, and tension on the ground? How did Desert Shield set the stage for the lightning-fast Desert Storm offensive that followed in January 1991? Though Desert Shield is often overshadowed by the brief but intense ground campaign of Desert Storm, it was a vital operation in its own right. It marked a new era of rapid deployment, joint operations, and coalition warfare, and proved that the U.S. military could project overwhelming force across the globe in a matter of weeks. Join us to commemorate this important anniversary and honor the service of those who stood ready in the desert long before the shooting began. #DesertShield35 #OperationDesertShield #GulfWarVeterans #VeteransBreakfastClub #VBCLive #MilitaryDeployment #GulfWarAnniversary #DesertShieldStories #ModernMilitaryHistory We're grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!

The 1978 murder of actor and American icon Bob Crane remains one of the most high-profile unsolved celebrity murders of all time. Thirty-eight years after his brutal murder in Scottsdale, Arizona, millions around the world still want answers. Was John Carpenter the killer? Or did police arrest an innocent man?For nearly 40 years, police remained convinced of Carpenter's guilt. Early DNA testing, decades ago, was unable to positively link Carpenter to the crime. The two friends lived on the edge, sharing a dark obsessionvideotaping women during their sexual encounters.In an unprecedented investigation, reporter John Hook retests the original blood evidence using modern DNA science in a final search for answers. Scientists believe this is the last chance to test DNA from the crime scene the final close-upin identifying Bob Crane's killer.Hook has exhausted all remaining avenues to unearth answers in this intriguing and haunting cold case. Will he close the book on the Crane murder once and for all?Who Killed Bob Crane? is Hook's first-hand account of a two-year investigation and search for the truth. It's seen though the eyes of the people who were therewitnesses, detectives, prosecutors, jurors, and family members. John Hook takes readers on an incredible reporter's journey for an inside look at the sensational physical evidence in a final attempt to learn the truth in Who Killed Bob Crane?https://amzn.to/4128HzlBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

Ken Follett is a man who doesn't really need much introduction, but introduce him I will anyway. Thirty-eight books written. 197 million copies sold in 80 countries and in 40 languages. Very popular across the world — and even in China and Brazil, according to the man himself.• Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts• Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify• Listen to Country Life podcast on AudibleYou would think that might be enough to retire on, but Ken is not interested in retirement. Rather he would like to talk about his latest book Circle of Days, which is about the building of Stonehenge and is out on September 23 (but is very much available to pre-order now).Ken has long been the master of historical fiction, with his bestseller Pillars of the Earth adoring most bookshelves up and down the country. He joins the podcast to discuss his writing process, and how he combines his painstaking research with fiction to create his much-loved tales.We also chat about cathedrals, the revival of Notre Dame, whether he's played his own video game, a fictional dinner with Shakespeare, and his favourite place in the UK (the answer to which might just surprise you).Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Ken FollettEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have that opportunity to save human beings whose lives are most valuable, like connecting them to the sound vibration of the spiritual world. In any case, it was the preoccupation of Śrīla Prabhupāda to render The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, The Bhagavad-gītā, and all these priceless vibrations into written form. So obviously he labored for this, and that's what Prabhupāda calls kriyāsu, manual labor. And in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Tenth Canto, Second Chapter, Thirty-seventh Verse, Prabhupāda writes the following in his purport, from this famous verse spoken by the demigods to Lord Kṛṣṇa in the womb. It's the last paragraph. He says: "The word kriyāsu, meaning “by manual labor” or “by work,” is important in this verse. One should engage in practical service to The Lord. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, all our activities are concentrated upon distributing Kṛṣṇa literature. This is very important. One may approach any person and induce him to read Kṛṣṇa literature so that in the future he also may become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. Kriyāsu yas tvac-caraṇāravindayoḥ. Such activities will always remind the devotees of The Lord's lotus feet. By fully concentrating on distributing books for Kṛṣṇa, one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. This is samādhi." Couldn't be any clearer. I'll just make one last point, because we would like to hear from the devotees from various parts of the world what kind of manual labor they are engaged in to distribute the books. First comes pledges, then comes the mercy. In fact, when people are depressed, psychologists say, "Find something you can do," and then your mind will rise to the occasion. If I say, "Oh, I can't do anything," and then I say, "Well, that way I won't do any manual labor," then you'll just stay in that doldrum. This is a movement for those who want to take risks. The biggest risk is making a pledge and saying, "I'm going to do something." And therefore our battle cry is, "Assume it can be done." What's illegal is keeping a list of all the reasons it can't be done. If somebody keeps a list like that, they should hide it very carefully, because if we find it, you are going to be in big trouble, and definitely don't bring it with you wherever you go. Just assume it can be done. Take a risk. Life is short. Try to do this. Kṛṣṇa is doing it anyway; we are just instruments. We have to rise to an occasion. ------------------------------------------------------------ To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Add to your wisdom literature collection: https://iskconsv.com/book-store/ https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/ https://thefourquestionsbook.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/ Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868 For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark ------------------------------------------------------------ #bhadrapurnima #gotogoloka #spiritualawakening #soul #spiritualexperience #spiritualpurposeoflife #spiritualgrowthlessons #secretsofspirituality #vaisesikaprabhu #vaisesikadasa #vaisesikaprabhulectures #spirituality #bhaktiyoga #krishna #spiritualpurposeoflife #krishnaspirituality #spiritualusachannel #whybhaktiisimportant #whyspiritualityisimportant #vaisesika #spiritualconnection #thepowerofspiritualstudy #selfrealization #spirituallectures #spiritualstudy #spiritualquestions #spiritualquestionsanswered #trendingspiritualtopics #fanthespark #spiritualpowerofmeditation #spiritualteachersonyoutube #spiritualhabits #spiritualclarity #bhagavadgita #srimadbhagavatam #spiritualbeings #kttvg #keepthetranscendentalvibrationgoing #spiritualpurpose

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."  Eddie Cantor This week, I'm answering a question about why it's important to slow down and allow your brain to do what it does best and why you do not want to be competing with computers.  You can subscribe to this podcast on:  Podbean | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | TUNEIN Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin The Time-Based Productivity Course Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived The Time Sector System 5th Year Anniversary The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page Script | 380 Hello, and welcome to episode 380 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show. It's very easy to get caught up in the hype about AI and what it promises to do or can do for you.  And it is an exciting time. AI promises a lot, and our devices are becoming faster. Does this mean it's all good news? Well, maybe not. You see, while all this technology is becoming faster, our brains are not. Evolution takes time. We can still only process information at the same speed people did hundreds of years ago.  And it's causing us to take shortcuts. Shortcuts that may not necessarily be in our best interests.  Thirty years ago, people would buy a newspaper in the morning and that single newspaper would furnish us with analysis and news throughout the day.  I remember buying my newspaper from the newsagent outside the office I worked at in the morning. I would read that newspaper during my coffee breaks and lunch. I'd begin with the front page, then the sport on the back page and usually in the afternoon, I'd read the opinion pieces.  It was a daily ritual, and felt natural. I'd pay my fifty pence (around 75 cents) each morning and by the end of the day, I would feel I had got my money's worth.  I remember reading full articles, getting to know both sides of the argument and the nuances within each story.  Today, people are in such a rush, they rarely read a full article, and only get a snapshot of what's really going on. There are apps that will summarise documents, articles and important reports for you. But is this really good for you?  This is why over the last two years, I've been intentionally slowing down.  It began with bringing pens and paper back into my system, then going on to wearing an analogue watch instead of an Apple Watch. It's moved on to buying real books, and this year, reacquainting myself with the joys of ironing, cooking and polishing shoes.  And that brings me on to this week's question. So, that means it's time for me now to hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question.  This week's question comes from Michael. Michael asks, Hi Carl, you've talked a lot about your pen and paper experiment and I was wondering why you are going against technology, when clearly that is the future. Hi Michael, thank you for your question.  I should begin by saying I am not against technology. I love technology. I still use Todoist and Evernote, and I use Anthropic's Claude most days. Technology is still a big part of my life.  However, I began my “analogue experiment”—if you can call it that—because I began to realise that trying to keep up with all the advances in technology meant I was missing out on life.  I had stopped thinking for myself and was looking for confirmation of the opinions I had formed about a subject. And technology does that extremely well. I remember during the last US Presidential election I was curious about what the arguments were about. I watched a few videos on YouTube from Fox News and MSNBC trying to maintain some kind of balance.  That didn't turn out so well. I must have accidentally watched a video or two more from Fox News and suddenly my YouTube feed was full of Greg Gutfeld and Meghan Kelly.  So much for trying to hear both sides of the argument.  It took over a month to get those videos out of my YouTube feed.  From a time management and productivity perspective I've always felt it's important that you decide what is important and what is not.  For most of you, you will have gained a few years experience in the work that you do. That experience is valuable. It gives you an advantage. You have learned what works and what does not work. Not in a theoretical way, but in a practical way.  Sales courses can teach the theory, but to become a great salesperson requires real, hands on experience. Talking with real people, dealing with objections and allowing your personality and charm to come through. You can't learn that from an online course or four hours chatting with an AI bot.  Henry Kissinger was a divisive figure. Some loved him, others hated him. Yet successive presidents both Republican and Democrat sort his advice long after he had left government. Why? Because of his vast personal experience dealing with dictators and uncompromising world leaders.  Now I understand why technology does this. Companies such as Google and the media organisations want my attention. Their algorithms are trained to do just that. And as a human being it's very difficult to resist.  But the biggest problem with this is everything is becoming faster and faster. So fast, that your brain cannot keep up.  Now there are things we should move fast on. An upset customer, a natural disaster in your town or city, A suddenly sick loved one or a burst pipe in your bathroom.  Equally, though, there are a lot of things we shouldn't be moving fast on. Deciding what must be done today, for example, sitting down and talking with your kids, or partner. Talking with your parents, siblings, friends or taking your dog out for a walk.  One work related example would be managing your email. There are two parts to this. Clearing your inbox requires speed. You're filtering out the unimportant from the important. And with experience, you soon become very fast at this.  Then there's the replying to the important emails. That requires you to slow down and think.  Now I know there are AI email apps that promise to do the filtering for you. Yet do you really trust that it got it right? That lack of trust results in you going through the AI filtered emails, “just in case”.  Which in turn slows down the processing. You would have been faster had you done it yourself.  But this goes beyond where AI and technology can help us. It goes to something deeper and more human.  One of the most mentally draining things you can do is sit at a screen all day.  You can respond to messages, write reports, design presentations, edit videos, and read the news all from a single screen. This means that, in theory, except for needing to go to the bathroom, you could spend all day and night without getting up from the chair.  That's not how you work. Your brain cannot stay focused for much more than 90 minutes without the need for a break. Yet, if a break means you stare at another window, perhaps stop writing the report and instead read a news article, your brain is not getting a rest.  Instead, one of the best things you could do, particularly now, with the new flexible ways of working, is to get up and do something manually.  Perhaps take the laundry and do a load of washing. Then return to your computer, work for another hour and then hang the washing up.  Two things happen here. First, your brain gets a rest from deep thinking and does something simple. And secondly, you move. Another thing your brain requires to work at its best.  Repetitive tasks are therapy for your brain. This is why some say that jogging or hiking is therapeutic. The act of putting one foot in front of another is repetitive and your brain can operate on automatic pilot.  Yet, there's something else here.  The other day I had a pile of ironing to do. It wasn't overwhelming, but there was around forty-minutes of work there to do.  At the same time, I was working on an article I was writing. That writing began strongly, but after an hour or so, my writing had slowed considerably. I was struggling. It was at that moment I looked up and saw the pile of ironing.  So, I got up, pulled out the ironing board and iron and spend forty minutes or so clearing the pile.  WOW! What a difference. After hanging up the clothes, I sat back down at my desk and the energy to write returned and I was able to get the article finished in no time at all.  Now what would have happened had I stayed tied to my desk? Probably not very much at all. I would have continued to struggle, perhaps written a bit, but likely would have had to rewrite what I had written.  Instead, I gave my brain a break. I did something manual that was repetitive, ironing. I know it's not exciting, but that's the point. It recharged my brain and I was able to return to my writing refreshed and didn't need to rewrite anything later.  Other activities you can do is to make your own lunch. Going into the kitchen to make a sandwich does not require a lot of brain power. It gets you up from your desk, gives your brain a break from the screen and you're making something.  It was a sense that everything I was doing was done at a screen that was the catalyst for me to return to doing some things manually.  I remember when I decided to start using a pen and notebook for planning out my week. I was shocked how much better I thought.  When I was planning my week digitally, I couldn't wait to get it over. Just to make it feel more worthwhile, I would clean up a folder or clear my desktop of screenshots and PDFs I no longer needed. I noticed I was doing anything but actually plan the week. When I closed my computer, pulled out a notebook and one of my favourite fountain pens, I actually planned and thought about what I wanted to accomplish that week.  My Saturday morning planning sessions have become one of my favourite times of the week. I can stop, slow down and just think slowly and deeply about what I want to accomplish.  And all these little things that have slowed me down have resulted in me getting far more done each week.  Without consciously choosing to do so, my social media time has dropped significantly. I don't watch as many YouTube videos as I used to do, and I feel more fulfilled and accomplished at the end of the day.  A couple of months ago, while my wife was studying for her end of term exams, I would finish in my office, go through into the living room where she was studying, pick up a real book and read.  It was a lovely feeling. My wife, Louis and myself all on the sofa engaged in something meaningful. We were still able to ask each other questions, but for the most part it felt calm, quiet and natural.  Last weekend, during my TV time, I began watching the autobiographical series on the Life and Times of Lord Louis Mountbatten.  Mountbatten was born in 1900 and died in 1979. He lived through two World Wars, was a part of both, was a member of the Royal Family, being the cousin of King George 6th, and was involved in many post war events.  As he was describing his work, I noticed there was no “9 til 5” hours or any of the structures we impose on ourselves today.  For most of Mountbatten's life there was no television. Instead, people wrote letters or read books in their quiet times. Most weekends were spent socialising with family and friends and there was a lot of walking in the countryside.  Yes, Mountbatten lived a privileged life, he was royalty after all, but even if you study the working classes of the time, they went to work—often hard manual labour, and come home where they would either spend the evening talking and playing games with their families or call into the local pub and enjoy time with their friends and neighbours.  They were different times, of course, but the noticeable thing was the everything that needed to be done got done.  Was was most striking about these times was the sense of fulfilment people spoke and wrote about. They were doing hard manual work, yet had a sense of accomplishment each day.  Today, that sense of fulfilment and accomplish can be lost and instead because of the endless lists of to-dos, messages to respond to we feel overwhelmed and swamped.  The most noticeable benefit I've found by returning to a few analogue tools is I no longer feel overwhelmed. I find I am more intentional about what I do and at the end of the day, I feel a sense of accomplishment.  So there you go, Michael. That's why I've brought back some analogue tools into my life. They slowed me down, enabled me to think better and ironically, I am getting a lot more done that I did when I was completely paperless and digital.  I hope that has helped. Thank you for your question. And thank you to you too for listening.  Now I must go and hang up the laundry.  It just remains for me now to wish you all a very very productive week.   

Thirty years later, the legacy of Jerry and the Dead grows exponentially...Five immortal instrumentals jams from Madison Square Garden, Alpine Valley, Hartford, Giants Stadium, and Brendan Byrne Arena...Slipknot! Let it Grow...Morning Dew...etc.

Christine Riccio & Natasha Polis talk all things nerdy in the book, tv, movie, pop culture, fandoms, and how they integrate into their adult lives. Today's they're discussing Team Conrad vs Team Jeremiah in The Summer I Turned Pretty and doing a special spicy GIVEAWAY! Links below!! Plus they chat Taylor Swift, the Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping, the Hail Mary Project, and more. Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibe™ or free Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/thosefkingfangirls-podcast Main discussion starts at 37:00 Today in Fangirl Tea Time: Join Christine and Natasha for more stories about their recent life escapades. Support the pod by joining the Forking Fangirls Patreon community: http://patreon.com/thoseforkingfangirls  Follow the visual show on our Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thoseforkingfangirls   Preorder Christine's new book THIRTY, FLIRTY, & FOREVER ALONE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1662532156 Add Thirty Flirty & Forever Alone on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230393104-thirty-flirty-and-forever-alone Check out Natasha's sewing classes: https://www.natashapolis.com/ Join our patron to get 10 dollars off the classes! Christine is going to a FREE library run Romance Con in Toledo, Ohio! Come hang on November 8, 2025! toledolibrary.org/romance-con Website: https://thoseforkingfangirls.com/  Email us feedback: thoseforkingfangirls@gmail.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoseforkingfangirls/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/forkfangirlspod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thoseforkingfangirls Get Christine's novel Attached at the Hip: https://a.co/d/grmPeVy  Check out the Selkie Collection and get 10% off your order with code TASHAPOLIS https://selkiecollection.com/collections/all

Get excited for back to school kids!  Your buddy Perry the #2 Pencil is back with another Tip about how to have fun with your pencil, and avoid divorce attourneys! 

SCRIPTWRITING TALK AND MORE! Welcome To Plotpoints Podcast! Mark Sevi Show Notes August 08, 2025 Episode #315 This is Plotpoints Podcast! www.plotpoints.com GO HERE FOR INFO ON SCRIPTWRITING CLASSES and SEMINARS SHAMELESS PROMOS: Final Draft – Articles by Mark Sevi for Final Draft and JUST RELEASED! CURIOUS? CONFUSED? CONFOUNDED? Scriptwriting can be all that and more. Thankfully, there are ways to make the process of putting a script together easier. This book is one of those tools. Thirty years of professional writing experience has gone into making the writing of a script direct and simpler. Professional writer and writing teacher Mark Sevi presents a step-by-step way to get started and finish your script. On Amazon, Ebook or Paperback

Carole O'Neill's guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Jen Sinclair, author of the book There's Always a Price. Jen Sinclair pens personal essays and contemporary fiction that explore complicated relationships, love, loss, and all the messiness of life. Jen lives in Saint Augustine, Florida, with her husband, kids, and spoiled pups. When she isn't working out story elements, belting out songs from one of her Spotify playlists, or having conversations with imaginary friends, she enjoys spending time outside walking beaches and trails, paddling waterways, or driving around with the top off her Jeep. She's published two women's fiction books, There's Always a Price and According to My Science and collaborated on the dark friendship fiction novel, The Accidental Death of MF Ascher.   In my book review, Carole O'Neill stated: There's Always a Price is a contemporary novel. I enjoyed this book from page one. Thirty-six-year-old Cassie has stopped painting because of some neurological damage to her hand and her once-held dream has been shattered. Her husband Jason has kept their money problems from her and is about to lose everything, including Cassie's trust fund.   Enter investor Lucas Dalton who offers to save Jason's business and allow him to put the money he stole from Cassie back before she discovers it missing. Problem solved. Or is it? There's always a price. Jen Sinclair's story takes us into a world where billionaires can have almost everything.   This novel has been named a finalist in the Women's Fiction Category by the Feathered Quill 2025 Book Awards. Once you begin reading, you'll feel it should be the winner.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author Jen Sinclair: Website: https://jensinclairwrites.com/ IG: @jensinclairwrites FB: @Jen-Sinclair-Author   Purchase There's Always a Price on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3T926i3 Ebook: https://amzn.to/3HSfPrn   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #jensinclair #theresalwaysaprice #contemporaryfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thank you very much. Krystle has been practicing Spanish. Did JLR go to a wedding? Rover went to see the Backstreet Boys in Vegas. Charlie went on his first RV trip. A sushi chef was convinced Rover was related to a band member. Thirty-nine boys died in this year's South African mass circumcision. A 23-year-old woman died after she denied chemo treatment. Two more dildos have entered the chat. Snitzer and Charlie bet Rover that another dildo be thrown on the court by Saturday. Ex-DOGE staffer nicknamed ‘Big Balls' was savagely beaten after 10 juveniles attempted to carjack him in DC. Lyme disease. The Nicki Minaj challenge. Why is Jeffrey bleeding? JLR's feet and Charlie's toes. Is Holly Strano trolling us?

Charlie went on his first RV trip. A sushi chef was convinced Rover was related to a band member. Thirty-nine boys died in this year's South African mass circumcision. A 23-year-old woman died after she denied chemo treatment.

Thank you very much. Krystle has been practicing Spanish. Did JLR go to a wedding? Rover went to see the Backstreet Boys in Vegas. Charlie went on his first RV trip. A sushi chef was convinced Rover was related to a band member. Thirty-nine boys died in this year's South African mass circumcision. A 23-year-old woman died after she denied chemo treatment. Two more dildos have entered the chat. Snitzer and Charlie bet Rover that another dildo be thrown on the court by Saturday. Ex-DOGE staffer nicknamed ‘Big Balls' was savagely beaten after 10 juveniles attempted to carjack him in DC. Lyme disease. The Nicki Minaj challenge. Why is Jeffrey bleeding? JLR's feet and Charlie's toes. Is Holly Strano trolling us? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie went on his first RV trip. A sushi chef was convinced Rover was related to a band member. Thirty-nine boys died in this year's South African mass circumcision. A 23-year-old woman died after she denied chemo treatment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scripture continues with David's mighty men: The tribe of Benjamin did not like David David starts with 400 men, but ends with thousands on his side The notable men who helped David Could the tribe of Levi fight in battle? Another example of unity being good   Hey! Don't go away yet! Also check out these other P40 sites:  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

30 Years Later - New Information and More Questions Keep an eye out for Episode 7 of Down the Path Season Three. The Disappearance of Stanley Bain was originally published in January 2023, and this marks the first major update to the story since then. In this episode, host Will Rice recaps the season and introduces new voices, perspectives, and information to the case. Thirty years after Stanley's disappearance, people are still searching for answers and asking tough questions.

Thirty-six percent of adults could not name all three branches of government, and 95% could not name all five freedoms protected under the First Amendment. On today's show, efforts for better civic education, starting with a new high school requirement.

Subscribe for FREE: robertmurphy.substack.comThe creator of The Snowdonia Killings talks true crime, pivoting from screenplays to novels (via teaching) and how his own publishing company has proved far more lucrative than being traditionally published.When, in 2020, Simon couldn't get an agent or a publisher, he decided to self-publish his first novel, expecting just a few friends to buy it.But soon it was soaring up the Amazon charts.The Snowdonia Killings, with its lead character of Det Insp Ruth Hunter, seemed to touch a nerve with fans of crime fiction.Since then, Simon has written more than THIRTY books and has sold millions of copies.Simon's books are fantastic reads, with great characters, evocative settings and terrific twists.You can find out more (and claim a free book) here: https://www.simonmccleave.comTo WATCH this interview - click here: https://open.substack.com/pub/robertmurphy/p/simon-mccleave-the-screenwriter-turned?r=1lsdh7&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com

Psycho Killer's Jacques Morrell. Thirty years as a copper, first on the beat, then a major crime detective, specialising primarily in homicide.In this new true crime series, Jacques opens his casebook to reveal gripping stories from a lifetime investigating murders, cold cases, and criminal minds. From serial killers to psychopaths, he shares behind-the-scenes insights into real police work and the psychology of killers.The Detective's Files offers a rare glimpse into the dark heart of crime, told by someone who's seen it all. Subscribe now for must-hear true crime stories, interviews, and expert analysis from the front lines of justice.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/psycho-killer-shocking-true-crime-stories--5005712/support.

Thirty years ago, Timothy McVeigh was arrested and later executed for the deadliest act of domestic terror in American history. Margaret Roberts says most of what you think you know about the Oklahoma City bombing is a lie. (00:00) What Was the Oklahoma City Bombing? (05:59) The Mysterious Second Man Involved in the Bombing That Has Never Been Identified (15:51) The Missing Video Tape (23:03) The Mysterious Origins of McVeigh (35:20) Where Did They Get the Money to Fund Their Attack? (48:17) The Arrest and Mysterious Death of Kenneth Trentadue Margaret Roberts is a prize-winning investigative journalist and former news director of America's Most Wanted. She is the author of the newly released book Blowback: The Untold Story of the FBI and the Oklahoma City Bombing (https://www.amazon.com/Blowback-Untold-Story-Oklahoma-Bombing/dp/B0DLV8MFZD/), a fearless investigation into the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that challenges the lone-wolf narrative. Paid partnerships with: Tecovas: Get 10% off at tecovas.com/tucker iTrust Capital: Get $100 funding bonus at https://www.iTrustCapital.com/Tucker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fixed the audio issues that affected our Night 1 Summerslam Recap. We finish our review of SummerSlam Night 1 and fully review Night 2. Email us at MagsandMelfunsky@gmail.com

Welcome to the individual sermon page. On this page you can view a video of the sermon or you can ...

Dr. Wilner would love your feedback! Click here to send a text! Thanks!Many thanks to Brenda Snow for joining me on this episode of The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner!  Brenda is the Founder and CEO of Snow Companies, which helps engage patients with their healthcare services. Her own life-changing experience with a neurologic disorder, which she experienced as an "identity earthquake," triggered the creation of her business, "Snow Companies." Thirty years ago, Brenda suffered from unexplained symptoms including double vision, dragging her left foot, loss of bladder control, and strange fatigue. After initial misadventures with a couple of neurologists, she was accurately diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Brenda eventually discovered a supportive medical team. She takes regular multiple sclerosis treatments, maintains a healthy lifestyle, and lives an active and successful life. Brenda started "Snow Companies" nearly 25 years ago. Now with over 400 employees, Snow Companies helps pharmaceutical companies engage with their patients. Brenda also hopes to help patients with her new book, "Diagnosed: The Essential Guide to Navigating the Patient's Journey." Brenda graciously offered to send a free, signed copy of her book to anyone who can't afford it. Just send her an email through her website: https://brendasnow.com #multiple sclerosis #womenentrepreneurs #entrepreneurs #authorPlease click "Fanmail" and share your feedback!If you enjoy an episode, please share with friends and colleagues. "The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner" is now available on Alexa! Just say, "Play podcast The Art of Medicine with Dr. Andrew Wilner!" To never miss a program, subscribe at www.andrewwilner.com. You'll learn about new episodes and other interesting programs I host on Medscape.com, ReachMD.com, and RadioMD.com. Please rate and review each episode. To contact Dr. Wilner or to join the mailing list: www.andrewwilner.com Finally, this production has been made possible in part by support from “The Art of Medicine's” wonderful sponsor, Locumstory.com, a resource where providers can get real, unbiased answers about locum tenens. If you are interested in locum tenens, or considering a new full-time position, please go to Locumstory.com. Or paste this link into your browser: https://locumstory.com/?source=DSP_directbuy_drwilnerpodcast_ph...

Sorry for the sudden ending to the show. We cover most of Summerslam Night 1 and Mags talks about the recent WWE 2K25 DLC. Tune in after Summerslam Night 2 where we pickup where we left off and cover the last two matches of night 1. Shoot us an email at MagsAndMelfunsky@gmail.com

As suffering and starvation continues unimpeded in Gaza, the chorus of criticism is becoming louder, and not just from abroad. In an unprecedented move, Yuli Novak & Guy Shalev, the executive directors of B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, two leading Israeli human rights groups, tell Christiane why they believe their government is committing genocide in Gaza. Then former National Institutes of Health chief Francis Collins discusses the chilling impact of science and research cuts on American healthcare under Donald Trump's second term.  Also, as Trump ramps up pressure on Putin's grinding war, Nick Paton Walsh has a special report on one of the country's youngest victims, Tymur, aged ten.  Plus, after recent elections in Japan saw the obscure far-right party, Sanseito, make dramatic gains in the recent election, Christiane discusses whether Trump or tourists are behind the stunning results with Tomohiko Taniguchi, a former advisor to longtime Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Mira Rapp-Hooper, who was a special Asia advisor to President Biden. Thirty-five years since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, from her archives, Christiane's report on America's massive military buildup in the Saudi desert ahead of their effort to repel Saddam, and the weary U.S. troops she met there, worried about insufficient supplies and what was yet to come.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Fuentes recounts his days as a 19 year old movie theater manager drunk with power. Later, Izzy debuts a new game of "Are you ok?" with the group, Jessica brings attention to the flood of AI video content on the internet and Tony wants to know how Robert Downey Jr. is going to end up playing Dr. Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Fuentes recounts his days as a 19 year old movie theater manager drunk with power. Later, Izzy debuts a new game of "Are you ok?" with the group, Jessica brings attention to the flood of AI video content on the internet and Tony wants to know how Robert Downey Jr. is going to end up playing Dr. Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christine Riccio & Natasha Polis talk all things nerdy in the book, tv, movie, pop culture, fandoms, and how they integrate into their adult lives. Today's they're chatting with award winning novelist of My Oxford Year and audiobook narrating extraordinaire Julia Whelan!! My Oxford Year is out on Netflix now! Plus they chat Taylor Swift, the Hunger Games on stage, the new Pride and Prejudice adaptation, and more.  Main discussion starts immediately! Snap crackle pop culture news starts at: 58:00 minutes  Today in Fangirl Tea Time: Join Christine and Natasha for more stories about their recent life escapades. Support the pod by joining the Forking Fangirls Patreon community: http://patreon.com/thoseforkingfangirls  fangirl teatime starts at: 1:29:53 Follow the visual show on our Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thoseforkingfangirls   FOLLOW JULIA WHELAN: https://www.instagram.com/justjuliawhelan/ Preorder Christine's new book THIRTY, FLIRTY, & FOREVER ALONE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1662532156 Add Thirty Flirty & Forever Alone on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230393104-thirty-flirty-and-forever-alone Check out Natasha's sewing classes: https://www.natashapolis.com/ Join our patron to get 10 dollars off the classes! Christine is going to a FREE library run Romance Con in Toledo, Ohio! Come hang on November 8, 2025! toledolibrary.org/romance-con Website: https://thoseforkingfangirls.com/  Email us feedback: thoseforkingfangirls@gmail.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoseforkingfangirls/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/forkfangirlspod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thoseforkingfangirls Get Christine's novel Attached at the Hip: https://a.co/d/grmPeVy  Check out the Selkie Collection and get 10% off your order with code TASHAPOLIS https://selkiecollection.com/collections/all

Thirty years ago high schoolers dressed down, and then came the movie Clueless. In her yellow plaid kilt and many other colorful and stylish outfits, Cher Horowitz, the good-natured if meddlesome high-schooler played by Alicia Silverstone, made audiences laugh with her, love her, and envy the looks created by costume designer Mona May. “Everybody dressed grunge in 1994 when we were preparing the movie, and the movie set a new rule of dressing. You know, I created a whole other fashion landscape,” May tells Lyn Winter, host of Rodeo Drive –The Podcast, in a special episode to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the movie and the launch of the third annual week-long Rodeo Drive Celebrates Fashion program spotlighting the unmatched craftsmanship and innovation in fashion on the legendary “street of dreams”.May is joined by Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona R. Nazarian PsyD, who shares her fond memories of the film, her personal love of fashion, as well as pride in the leading role played by Beverly Hills in Clueless, which was shot in multiple locations including the Electric Fountain, the Witch's House and, of course, the iconic street of high fashion - Rodeo Drive. “I think what makes Rodeo Drive so special is that people still want to be able to come and walk here as Cher did in the movie, that it's still relevant. The stores are still spectacular. I mean, where else can you find Frank Gehry and Louis Vuitton coming together to make these beautiful buildings come to life? It's just so exciting,” says Mayor Nazarian.May also shares her journey to becoming a costume designer and getting her big break with Clueless, followed by work on movies including Romy and Michelle, Never Been Kissed, Wedding Singer, Enchanted, House Bunny, and Stuart Little.May was born in India and then moved with her family to Europe and then New York. She studied fashion before moving into costume design, and met Clueless writer/director Amy Heckerling while collaborating on a pilot about two party girls in New York City. “The pilot didn't get picked up, but we formed this incredibly creative relationship. Amy is an incredible writer, an incredible artist. She loves fashion, so we were like two birds together. So when she wrote Clueless, she called me and said, ‘I really want you to do this film. I need a very different point of view, something that's going to last a long time'.” May created a timeless look for the teens in the movie that took cues from L.A.'s sunny spirit and its greenery and flowers, from fashion icons, and even from the period of the book that inspired the movie, Emma, by Jane Austen. Think, empire waists and cap sleeves. Her goal was to make the young actresses feel “quintessentially feminine” while empowered. Then there was Cher's unforgettable plaid skirt. On eyeballing “Jean Paul Gaultier yellow,” recalls May, “We had the vision. And it was perfect, because she became the queen bee, yellow sunshine, and completely the queen of the school.”Now a new generation is getting to enjoy the film once again. As she welcomes Clueless fans both young and old, Mayor Nazarian says of the film, “It just makes you feel really good. It uplifts you, and we need that now, I think. Everybody needs it.” This special edition of Rodeo Drive – The Podcast is presented by the Rodeo Drive Committee with the support of Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel.Executive Producer and Host: Lyn WinterOn behalf of the Rodeo Drive Committee: Kathy GohariScriptwriter and Editorial Advisor: Frances AndertonEditor and Videographer: Hans FjellestadTheme music by Brian Banks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With word that Kamala Harris wouldn't be seeking the California governor's office in 2026 came immediate speculation (and derision) she's eyeing a second go at the White House in 2028. Incidentally, 'Meet The Press' anchor Kirsten Welker (again) brought up this alleged, yet-to-be-proven cover-up inside the Biden White House to shield Americans from knowing the former President was .... old?Why am I the only one troubled by mainstream media types insisting there's a "there" there? It smacks of ageism and the same kind of "took the bait" group-think the right lambasts Beltway media over when it's "RussiaGate" or "the dossier." Meanwhile, someone I'm still going to insist should be considered for a Presidential movement (til he says he absolutely won't do it) is 'The Daily Show' Monday host Jon Stewart. He and author ("Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza" ) Peter Beinart - two Jewish American men - had such a profound conversation last Monday - about Netenyahu's bloodlust and the long-range ramifications on Israeli safety and security - I felt it worthy of revisiting. Just more reason I see Stewart as a "Trump elixir" for most of non-MAGA America. C"mon, Jon.------Stacey Abrams also isn't running for governor - here in Georgia - at least not yet. A recent interview with NPR's Tanya Mosley about her latest novel, "Coded Justice" naturally led Mosley to ask while she had Abrams on. The TL:DR is she's "not ruling it out." Meanwhile, an Abrams-led organization - Fair Fight Action - is working to counter-act state government-led voter purges by providing an online search tool to help Georgia registered voters check their standing. ------Georgia Recorder op/ed columnist Jay Bookman penned a response piece denouncing Lieutenant Governor (and 2026 gubernatorial candidate) Burt Jones' pitch to have Georgia ditch the state income tax. Bookman used liberal tools - facts, math and data - to make a cogent argument against Jones' scheme to put a greater burden on the poor and working class to fund the state's budget.------There's movement in the tussle to succeed U.S. Rep. Mike Collins. Thirty-year old state representative Houston Gaines has tossed his hat in the ring. On the left is Lexy Doherty, but there are rumors a conservative Democrat from Hall County is set to announce his run, too, but until verified, there's little to do but speculate. ------Georgia's two Democratic Senators joined a Bernie Sanders-led push to limit military aid to Israel. Good!

It's Wednesday, July 30th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Ugandan Muslims kill relative convert to Christianity Muslims in Uganda killed a relative of theirs earlier this month after he had converted to Christianity.  Kasajja Abdul Maliki accepted Christ in April. The pastor who shared the Gospel with him told Morning Star News, “I took him to my house and discipled him in Christian teachings for a week, and thereafter he returned back to his home.”  Since then, Maliki stopped attending prayers at the mosque. He would study the Bible and pray in his home instead. His relatives broke into his house on July 18. They found him praying for their salvation. Some of them became so angry, they began beating him and even stabbed him. Neighbors tried to save Maliki, but he died on the way to a nearby clinic. Revelation 12:11 says, “They overcame [the Devil] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Argentinian president recognizes non-Catholic religious groups Evangelical Focus reports that Argentina now recognizes Evangelical churches. President Javier Milei signed a measure to officially recognize non-Catholic religious groups as “religious legal entities.” Most people in Argentina still identify as Catholic, but the number of Evangelicals has grown in recent years. The Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of the Republic of Argentina commented on the new measure. It said, “This was achieved thanks to the efforts, prayers, and perseverance of Christians who have worked with respect, patience, and faith to see this progress for over 30 years.” Florida has greatest religious liberty; West Virginia the worst In the United States, First Liberty Institute released their 2025 Religious Liberty in the States report. The report evaluates states based on 47 religious liberty safeguards. The top state this year was Florida with a score of 74.6%. The worst state was West Virginia with a score of 19.6%. Most states fell in the 25%-50% range.  Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enthusiastically affirmed religious liberty. DeSANTIS: “Today, Florida has earned the number one ranking amongst all 50 states for protecting religious liberty. If you go back to the founding of our country, religious liberty was basically the first freedom that the Founding Fathers sought to protect. “Religious freedom was part of the reason people even settled in the American colonies to begin with. This is something that is central to the American experiment and central to our way of life. But it is something that has really been under assault in recent years.” U.S. federal employees allowed to talk about Christian faith Federal employees can now talk about their faith at work. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management sent out a memo on Monday about protecting religious expression in the federal workplace. Workers are allowed to display Bibles and crosses, talk to other employees about their faith, and form prayer groups.  The memo states, “The Federal workforce should be a welcoming place for Federal employees who practice a religious faith. Allowing religious discrimination in the Federal workplace violates the law. It also threatens to adversely impact recruitment and retention of highly-qualified employees of faith.” Planned Parenthood closes 33 abortion mills nationally Life News reports that Planned Parenthood has closed 33 abortion mills so far this year. This includes one of its locations in the Houston area of Texas which was known as the largest abortion mill in the Western Hemisphere.  Shawn Carney with 40 Days for Life said, “The defunding of Planned Parenthood and the closure of abortion centers from coast to coast means that July 2025 will go down as the WORST month in Planned Parenthood's history… for now!  Toppling this abortion Goliath proves that, with God, all things truly are possible.” Trust in church increases And finally, people are putting more trust in the church, according to a survey from Gallup. Thirty-six percent of U.S. adults have significant confidence in the church. That's up from 31% in 2022. However, it's down from 66% in 1973 when Gallup first started tracking the percentage. The last year that a majority of Americans had confidence in the church was 2009. Currently, the only institutions that a majority of Americans trust are small business, the military, and science.  Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, July 30th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Amidst moral panic, inexplicable mania, and collective hysteria, the Salem Witch Trails were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. More than 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty, nineteen of whom were executed by hanging (fourteen women and five men). Check out the YouTube version of this episode at xxx which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. History Unplugged podcast available at https://amzn.to/3YthqYx Witches & Witchcraft books at https://amzn.to/4555O2X Salem Witch Hunt books at https://amzn.to/44NsmnH ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORICAL JESUS podcast at https://parthenonpodcast.com/historical-jesus Mark's TIMELINE video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkVinet_HNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credit: History Unplugged podcast with Scott Rank (Episode-Witches Weren't Burned During The Middle Ages, That Actually Happened in the Renaissance Period; 06jun2023) Salem Media, Parthenon Network. Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denis Staunton, China Correspondent for The Irish Times, reports that at least 30 people were killed as heavy rain in the Chinese capital Beijing prompted authorities to evacuate 80,000.

Thirty-six thousand nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants across the country are walking off the job on Wednesday for 24 hours. Health New Zealand acting chief clinical officer Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard spoke to Corin Dann.

Thirty-six thousand workers from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation are walking off the job on Wednesday, after talks with Health NZ broke down this week. RNZ health correspondent Ruth Hill spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Thirty six days ago my OKC Thunder won the NBA championship! Watching my city and state grow over the last 30 years has been incredible. When friends visit from out of state I love taking them downtown and letting them experience the great things our city has to offer. So the question I want to consider today is: how did all of this happen? The post SILY 656- Visions of Tomorrow Start Today appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Christine Riccio & Natasha Polis talk all things nerdy in the book, tv, movie, pop culture, fandoms, and how they integrate into their adult lives. Today's they're discussing the Undateable Man Crisis and doing a special spicy GIVEAWAY! Links below!! Plus they chat The Love Hypothesis movie casting, Book Lovers, Ted Lasso, and more!  Main discussion starts at: 00:35:34 Today in Fangirl Tea Time: Join Christine and Natasha for more stories about their recent life escapades. Support the pod by joining the Forking Fangirls Patreon community: http://patreon.com/thoseforkingfangirls  fangirl teatime starts at: 1:58:05 Today's episode is sponsored by Bellesa Boutique! Sign up to win a free WhisperVibeTM or free Rose toy with any WhisperTM order https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/thosefkingfangirls-podcast Follow the visual show on our Youtube: http://youtube.com/@thoseforkingfangirls   Preorder Christine's new book THIRTY, FLIRTY, & FOREVER ALONE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1662532156 Add Thirty Flirty & Forever Alone on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230393104-thirty-flirty-and-forever-alone Check out Natasha's sewing classes: https://www.natashapolis.com/ Join our patron to get 10 dollars off the classes! Christine is going to a FREE library run Romance Con in Toledo, Ohio! Come hang on November 8, 2025! toledolibrary.org/romance-con Website: https://thoseforkingfangirls.com/  Email us feedback: thoseforkingfangirls@gmail.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoseforkingfangirls/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/forkfangirlspod  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thoseforkingfangirls Get Christine's novel Attached at the Hip: https://a.co/d/grmPeVy  Check out the Selkie Collection and get 10% off your order with code TASHAPOLIS https://selkiecollection.com/collections/all

On March 21, 1998, 23-year-old Amy Bradley boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise with her parents and younger brother. It was supposed to be a fun family vacation. But just three days later, Amy vanished from the ship without a trace. She was last seen in the early morning hours of March 24 on the balcony of their cabin. Thirty minutes later, she was gone. The ship was searched. So was the water. But there was no sign of Amy anywhere. Over the years, multiple sightings have been reported across the Caribbean and beyond, leaving her family to wonder if Amy is still out there somewhere, waiting to be found. 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley was last seen by her father around 5:30 a.m. on March 24, 1998, sleeping on the balcony of their cabin aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas. By 6:00 a.m., she was gone.  Three witnesses later reported seeing Amy with Alister Douglas, also known as “Yellow,” just before 6:00 a.m., taking an elevator to the ship's disco. He was later seen leaving alone. There were no other sightings of Amy onboard. But over the years, multiple people have reported seeing her in Curaçao, Puerto Rico, Barbados, and even San Francisco. Amy is still missing. If you have any information concerning the disappearance of Amy, please contact your local FBI office, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Editor: Shannon Keirce Research/Writing: Haley Gray and Anna Luria SUBMIT A CASE HERE: Cases@DetectivePerspectivePod.com SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detperspective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/detperspective FIND DERRICK HERE Twitter: https://twitter.com/DerrickL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DerrickLevasseur Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerrickVLevasseur CRIME WEEKLY AND COFFEE Criminal Coffee Company: https://www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Crime Weekly:  https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop ADS: 1. https://www.HungryRoot.com/Detective - Use code DETECTIVE for 40% off! 2. https://www.WildAlaskan.com/Detective - Get 35$ off your first box!

Thirty-three years after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte’s Empire, his nephew (known as Napoleon III) became the first president of France before becoming emperor himself. Although he was a capable ruler and reformer, Napoleon III’s failed military campaigns, especially France’s loss to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War, led to his defeat, capture, and the fall of the Second French Empire and permanent eclipse of Germany in military power. Many historians have blamed Napoleon III’s wife for his failings. Eugénie de Montijo was a Spanish noblewoman who became the last French empress. She was a cultural tastemaker and activist for feminist equality, but many blame her blunders when she held power as regent for France’s worst failures and reckless rush into a ruinous war with Germany. But the story of her life has rarely been told in full. It was a career filled with glamour, achievement, and tragedy, as well as contributions that transformed the nation she ruled unlike any other royal noblewoman in Europe. She spearheaded movements in health and education to help transform France into a modern country. She pushed Parisian architecture toward steel and glass construction of buildings as well as for inclusion of green spaces throughout the city, many of which exist today. Most of all, she crafted much of the idea of what it means to be French in the modern era. Today’s guests are Petie Kladstrup and Evelyne Resnick, authors of “The Last Empress of France: The Rebellious Life of Eugénie de Montijo.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.