Podcasts about when james

Music by Ben Sound at www.bensound.com  Today's meditation comes from Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:14-23, and John 13:1-30 Introduction:  I found it rather difficult to synthesize the four versions of the Last Supper in the gospels, and particularly where Judas was, and where Satan was relative to Judas, at any given time. Matthew and Mark's gospels kept the story simple and short, moving directly from Jesus' mention that one of them would betray him into communion. There is no mention in those gospels that Judas left at all, or that Satan was present. They also both showed that Jesus started with the bread and then moved to the cup. There was no mention of anything Jesus told them afterwards, either; they just sang a hymn and then Jesus led his three closest disciples down to the Garden of Gethsemene. Judas clearly left at some point, because hours later he arrived in the Garden with soldiers; it just isn't mentioned when.    Luke went into more detail. He wrote in Luke 22:3 that Satan entered into Judas when he approached the chief priests and made a deal to betray Jesus. There was no mention that Satan departed Judas and entered into him again later, but perhaps he did, since John later makes mention that Satan entered into Judas after Jesus passed him the bread at the table (John 13:27). Also in Luke's version, the cup came first and then the bread (not that this really matters). Jesus didn't mention His betrayer until after communion in Luke's version, suggesting that Judas was there at the time. Perhaps he was, though Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:27 that whoever eats and drinks the Lord's supper in an unworthy manner is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. I suppose this would not be any truer of anyone in history than of Judas that night.    John didn't actually describe the Last Supper in terms of the bread and the cup at all, but he alone recorded that Jesus washed the disciples' feet. John 13:2 says that the supper was ended, though apparently the Greek phrase could have also been translated “during supper”—so I interpreted this as meaning they had eaten the Passover lamb and herbs, but Jesus had not yet instituted communion. Jesus' comment that His betrayer was the one to whom He gave the bread after He had dipped it (John 13:26) is consistent with similar phrasing in Matthew 26:23 and Mark 14:20, just before Jesus institutes communion, suggesting this comment came first. Since John explicitly mentioned that Judas left right afterwards, and he was more specific about Judas' whereabouts than Luke, his was the interpretation I used in the retelling.    It also makes sense to me that Judas would not have been present for communion, for two reasons. First, Jesus hates hypocrisy (as evidenced by his many run-ins with the religious leaders), and he knew that Judas was not one of His, as He repeatedly said that night. If His betrayer were to take communion right before Him on the very night of His betrayal, it would have been the ultimate hypocrisy. Second, Jesus was always walking the fine line of trying to tell the disciples what was going to happen to Him in enigmas and riddles (Proverbs 1:6), but without spelling it all out until after He had already risen (Luke 24:13-49). There may have been many reasons for this, but one of them was surely that He didn't want Satan to understand His plan, or else he would never have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8). Jesus knew Satan was in the room as long as Judas was. I suspect this was another reason why He didn't want to explain about the body and the blood until after Judas had gone.    Passover was instituted the night the Israelites left slavery. It was from then on both a ritual of remembrance, and also a prophetic act. The Egyptians painted the blood of their Passover lamb over their door posts, which protected those inside from the destroyer (Exodus 12:23). This was a perfect symbol of the blood of Jesus, God's Passover Lamb, protecting believers from the destroyer. Here, Jesus took the last Passover meal with His disciples, and then instituted the new feast of communion on the eve of his crucifixion. Christians no longer celebrate the Jewish Passover feast, symbolic of the Old Covenant, but take communion instead, symbolic of the New Covenant.    Communion, too, is both an act of remembrance (Luke 22:19) and also a prophetic act of the marriage supper of the Lamb (Luke 22:18, Revelation 19:9), when Jesus will wed His bride: the Church. That will be its ultimate fulfillment.    Fictionalized Retelling:  I felt an almost physical oppression in my chest as I climbed the steps to that upper room. My legs felt like wood, resisting My every step.  This time tomorrow… but I stopped the thought right there. I had much yet to do between now and then.  John approached and touched My elbow as I crossed the threshold of the upper room. I turned to see him searching My face with a concerned expression. I gave him a tight smile that did not quite reach My eyes, and a tiny nod that I was all right—relatively speaking. The servants came in and began to set the evening meal on the low table: the Passover lamb, the bitter herbs, the unleavened bread, and the wine.  I could not stop staring at the lamb.  I settled on to a cushion at the head of the table. John sat beside me, still glancing often at My face. The other disciples chatted amongst themselves, though the atmosphere felt strained. It had already been an intense week, even for them. They all knew the religious leaders wanted Me dead, and feared that by extension, their lives were in danger too. I knew they also wondered why we were celebrating the Passover a day early, on the thirteenth instead of the fourteenth day of Nissan. I'd told them repeatedly as plainly as I could, but they still hadn't understood. Tonight I would be still more explicit. But not yet.  I watched Judas, who fidgeted in his seat constantly. I needed him out of the room before I spoke plainly. The disciples still wouldn't understand what I said until afterwards, but Satan might, if he heard it. If that happened, all would be lost.  When they had finished all but the last loaf of unleavened bread, I rose from the table, wordlessly laying aside My outer garment and tucking a towel around My waist. An empty basin sat by the threshold along with a pitcher of water. I poured the water into the basin and carried it to Matthew, who sat nearest Me. I set it down beside his cushion and gestured to him to swivel around and remove his sandals. He stared back at Me in astonishment.  “Master?”  I nodded and beckoned again with My fingers. Slowly he obeyed, though I could sense his acute embarrassment. The rest of the disciples watched in silence as I washed Matthew's feet, and then used the towel about My waist to dry them. Next I moved to Bartholomew beside him, who obeyed more readily now that he'd seen the precedent. None of them knew what to make of this.  Next I came to Judas. He removed his sandals and placed his feet in the basin at once, but he winced just slightly as his eyes met Mine. Up close, I could see his dilated pupils. He was nervous, not sure if I knew, or if I would publicly confront him for his treachery. As I washed his feet, I thought of Solomon's proverb, You will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you.  Without a word, I moved on to James, and then to Peter, who recoiled from Me.  “Lord, are You washing my feet?”  “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand later,” I assured him.  “Never shall You wash my feet!” If it were any other night, I might have smiled. Tonight, though, I just said wearily, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.” Peter blinked as he absorbed this. Then he plunged his feet in the basin, leaning forward and spluttering, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” This wrung a short laugh out of Me, even tonight. Good old Peter.  “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean,” I answered. Then I said to the rest of them, “And you are clean—but not all of you.” I glanced at Judas as I said this, whose eyes shifted this way and that. Now he knew that I knew. He was itching to leave already, probably trying to think of an excuse.  When I'd finished washing all of the disciples' feet, I placed the basin back by the door, removed the towel and replaced My outer tunic before settling back at the head of the table. They all watched Me uncertainly, not sure what to do or say.  “Do you know what I have done for you?” I looked at each of them in turn, pausing to see if they had any reply. When they did not, I went on, “You call Me ‘Teacher' and ‘Lord'; and you are correct, for so I am. So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. Truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the One who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I am not speaking about all of you,” I added, with a sidelong glance at Judas. “I know the ones whom I have chosen; but this is happening so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.'” Judas squirmed again. How much more direct would I need to be? “From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He. Truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send, receives Me; and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” Still no one spoke, and still Judas remained at the table. The oppression in My chest grew.  I needed him to leave before I did what needed to be done next. Time to just come right out and say it. “One of you is going to betray me.”  Shock rippled around the table, and the disciples began to murmur amongst themselves—all except Judas, whose eyes darted this way and that, his breathing short and shallow. But the other disciples were so focused on themselves that they did not even notice.  “It isn't me, is it?” asked Peter first, loudly. Before I could reply, James cut in, “Surely, not I?” at the same time Philip and Bartholomew talked over each other. “Is it me, Master?”  Instead of replying, I rose and took the last loaf of unleavened bread in My hands. I saw Peter make eye contact with John, and gesture at Me with his head in silent communication. When I sat back down again, John reclined against Me with his head on My chest and whispered, “Lord, who is it?”  “It is he to whom I give this bread once I have dipped it.” I broke a piece of bread from the end of the loaf, and rose again to dip the bread in the dish of oil. Then I handed it across the table to Judas, and our eyes locked. The others at last noticed this, looking from Judas to me.  “It isn't me, is it, Rabbi?” Judas asked at last, his voice even.  “You have said it yourself,” I replied. The others looked at one another, their expressions a mixture of alarm and confusion. Judas took the bread from Me, and put it in his mouth. At that moment, though I did not see it with My natural eyes, I knew that Satan had entered into him. I could sense it.  “What you do, do quickly,” I told him in a low tone.  Judas rose from the table as soon as I said this and sped out of the room without looking back. As I watched him go, I felt an unexpected pang of pity for the suffering I knew he would yet endure. Once Satan had used him for his own purposes, I knew that Judas would come back to himself and would despair for what he was about to do to Me. He would be dead before I was. But he had made his choice long ago, and was beyond My help. There was nothing more I could do for him. “Is… he going to make a purchase for the meal?” asked Peter, suspicious. Judas was our treasurer and had often gone on such errands in the past. “Or to offer alms to the poor, perhaps?”  I met Peter's questioning gaze, but did not answer. He would understand all too soon, and I had more important business to attend to at the moment. I took what remained of the last loaf of unleavened bread, and poured some wine into the simple chalice before me. Then I looked up to Heaven. “Thank You, Father, for Your provision,” I prayed, “of this bread and wine, and also of the Passover Lamb it represents.” I saw the look of confusion that passed among the disciples at this. Surely, they were thinking, the Passover lamb we just ate represented itself? I went on, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then I took the loaf and broke it right down the middle, flinching only a little. I passed half to John on one side, and to James on My other.  “Take and eat; this is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”  James gingerly held the half loaf I'd handed him, a look of horror on his face. But John broke himself a piece and passed it to Philip on his other side without comment. James finally followed his lead and did the same. They were all now remembering the comment I had made which had lost me some ninety percent of my disciples early in My ministry. I had announced that My followers must eat My flesh and drink My blood, or else they would have no life in them. This had so confused and revolted them that the vast majority had left, and I never had explained Myself to those who remained. How could I? None of them dared disobey Me now, though I knew they still did not understand.  Once they had all solemnly taken and eaten their piece of the bread, I passed around My chalice of wine.  “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father's kingdom.”  Each man took a sip and passed the cup around in silence. When James finally handed it back to Me, I took the last swallow, savoring it in My mouth. Then I looked around the table, My heart burning as I looked into each man's eyes one by one. I saw not the fearful, uncertain men before Me now, but the firebrands they would become when they had received the Holy Spirit. I saw some of them as old men; others, I knew, would not live long enough to see old age. The Holy Spirit gave Me just a flash of their futures—glorious ones, all. I swallowed the lump in My throat before I could speak again.  “I am giving you a new commandment,” I managed, “that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”  I had so much I wanted to tell them, and these were My last few hours in which to do so. I prayed silently for guidance. I knew they would understand none of it now—and because they did not understand, they would have three days of utter hell ahead of them. If they could just hang on through those three days which would look like the end of all their hopes…  “Let not your hearts be troubled!” I almost begged them, praying as I said it that they would be able to hold onto My words in the the coming days, when they would need them most. “You believe in God; believe also in Me!”  I told them all I could that night: of the coming Holy Spirit, of peace, of their direct path through Me to the Father, of the tremendous power of prayer, and of their sorrow turning to joy. I could tell from the heaviness of their expressions that all they heard was goodbye. They did not understand the manner in which it would come, but they felt the significance of My speech.  I felt the same heaviness Myself. When I had finished, I ended the meal with a hymn: one of David's psalms set to music. The others joined in with Me, and all of our voices merged together in a beautiful, if halfhearted, cacophony. The noise of it had always made me smile, though today the finality of it wrung tears from My eyes.  I felt the pull in My spirit now. I desperately needed to withdraw and talk to My Father. I hadn't much time left.   

Sam’s father had to flee for his life during a military coup. With the sudden loss of income, the family could no longer afford the crucial medicine that kept Sam’s brother alive. Seething at God, Sam thought, What have we done to deserve this? A follower of Jesus heard about the family’s troubles. Finding he had enough money to cover the medicine, he bought a supply and took it to them. The life-saving gift from a stranger had a profound impact. “This Sunday, we will go to this man’s church,” his mother declared. Sam’s anger began to subside. And eventually, one by one, each member of the family would put their faith in Jesus. When James wrote about the necessity of a lifestyle of integrity accompanying a profession of faith in Christ, he singled out the need to care for others. “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food,” James wrote. “If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (2:16–17). Our actions demonstrate the genuineness of our faith. Significantly, those actions can influence the faith-choices of others. In Sam’s case, he became a pastor and church-planter. Eventually he would call the man who helped his family “Papa Mapes.” He now knew him as his spiritual father—the one who showed them the love of Jesus.

Tonight, on It's Real Talk Radio, we're asking a simple question. Is it controlling to demand your partner to not dress provocative? You may be saying to yourself: "What do you mean by not dress provocative?" Well, let us give you an example. James and Sara, a married couple, are getting ready to attend a gathering. When James sees what Sara has on, he notices her shorts are well above her thighs and so tight, you can see her camel toe. James lets Sara know that what she has on is too provocative to wear outside and that she needs to change because it's inappropriate. Some will look at James as controlling while others will look at James as being a strong man who put his foot down the way any man should. Here's another example. Mike and Nicole are a couple who are having some friends come over for game night. When their guests arrive, Nicole is looking at Mike like he's crazy, because he's walking around with a pair of tight sweat shorts. Nicole pulls Mike to the side and let's him know he needs to change immediately because what he has on is too provocative. Mike asks Nicole what's the problem and Nicole replies "We can see your d!c# print and maybe you're okay with your buddies seeing what your packing, but my girlfriends surely aren't gonna be seeing it!" Is Nicole controlling or logical? These are the type of debates we'll be discussing tonight. With the rise in quote-unquote "toxic masculinity", it has become increasingly difficult for men to speak their minds and put their foot down without facing public scrutiny and being accused of being toxic and verbally and mentally abusive. Some would say feminism plays a significant role in this current climate, as they continue to push their agenda and denounce masculinity. Oh, it's about to get real tonight! Don't miss out! Call In #563-999-3434

James Johnson is a fourth-generation farmer in New Mexico and the Vice President of Carzalia Valley Produce. When James finally took over the family farm in the early 2000s the outlook of his operation seemed grim. After many years of trial and error with various practices, James found the Advancing Eco Agriculture team where he discovered the benefits of regenerative agriculture. Thanks to his partnership with AEA, James achieved an outstanding yield of 1,490 lbs/acre for Pima Cotton at the end of harvest season 2020 while his county average was 880 lbs/acre! In this episode, James and AEA founder John Kempf discuss: The shift in agronomy management on James' farm over the last 20 years. James' first encounter with John Kempf and the similarities in their personal stories. The long-term effects of herbicide, insecticide, and pesticide use on crops from the perspective of a self-declared “recovering glyphoholic” Solving onion thrips and western flower thrips pressure with regenerative foliar applications, rather than insecticides. James' observations on chlorpyrifos and diazinon—how their use affects non-target species and overall soil biology. The technology James uses as a self-proclaimed early adopter, including evapotranspiration platforms and an AI robot that pulls weeds.

James was nice enough to open for me in Brea a couple weeks ago, and we got to know each other better on the drive there and back from LA. He comes from a staunch religious background, is married with a child on the way, and is hilarious. Lately he's become known for his spot-on impressions, especially of the guy who most recently lost the presidential election. When James opened for me he did that impression and went off on a rant about Star Trek that killed so hard I went, “Hoo boy, now I REALLY gotta be funny tonight.” It gave me an idea: Have James on the pod, but ask him to not only give advice as himself……. Yep. You get it. THE CALLS: 1) A artist can't stop hoarding art he maybe should get rid of…. Like paintings of ex-girlfriends. HELP! (Bobby Flay), 2) A fella is in love with his best friend who doesn't feel the same way. Again, WHAT TO DO? (Louis CK) 3) An incredibly horny man jacks off several times a day. How to talk to a girl? (Donald Trump. WHO ELSE?!). Listen, learn, and enjoy, Mightys! Also, come see me on tour starting Aug. 19th: mattbraunger.com/tour for dates. Call Matt and ask a question 323-763-0228 New episodes arrive every Thursday via The Laugh Button. For advertising opportunities email advertise@thelaughbutton.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Audio recordingSermon manuscript:July 25 is the day that has been set aside in the church calendar to commemorate James the Elder or James the Greater. Calling him the elder or greater differentiates him from James the Younger or James the Lesser. There are two men named James in the New Testament who are rather important. The James who is commemorated today is one of the twelve apostles. The other James is known as the brother of Jesus. He ends up becoming the bishop of the congregation in Jerusalem. This other James is also the author of the book of James. But today we are focusing on James the Greater. Let's begin by briefly reviewing what we know about James. James was one of the twelve. He was also part of that inner circle among the twelve who were with Jesus on a few occasions where the other nine were not. The other members of this inner circle were John, his brother, and Peter, his cousin. Peter, James, and John were all called to be apostles at the same time as we heard several weeks ago. They were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus ushered the fish into Peter's nets so that they began to break, it was James and John whom Peter called out to in order to help him. After that all three of them dropped their nets and followed Jesus. James and his brother, John, were sons of a man named Zebedee. They also got the nickname of being sons of thunder. It is believed that they got this nickname because they were exceedingly earnest and zealous. One time when they came upon a village that did not receive Jesus they asked him if they should call down fire upon it. Also in our reading today they ask Jesus if they can sit at his right and his left—a rather cheeky thing to do, which we will speak more of in a minute. Obviously these two were not wilting daisies. In our first reading today, from the book of Acts, you heard about how James died. James was the first of the twelve who was martyred. He was executed by King Herod. This might have been as soon as only a couple years after Pentecost. Jesus had asked James whether he was able to drink the cup that Jesus drank, and to be baptized with the baptism Jesus was baptized with. So it happened. James died because he testified that this world is evil, God is good, and Jesus is the Savior of sinners. For disrupting the party, which all the Herodians seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed, he was put to death. And yet, even though he has died, he lives. Whoever lives and believes in Jesus never dies. Whenever the Christian church commemorates the saints it is different than when the world remembers someone. For the world, when someone dies, that's it. Fiery James, faithful unto death, is alive with his soul with Jesus. His body awaits the great Day of the Lord. Whatever fame or recognition he might have from men is unimportant. He has received his reward from God. There is nothing better that any creature could hope for than to hear these words from the Creator: “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your master.” Now let's turn to our Gospel reading where we heard about this interaction between Jesus and the brothers James and John. Mark tells us that James and John came to Jesus with an unusual request. Let me quickly note that Matthew adds a significant detail. Matthew tells us that James and John came to Jesus by sending their mother—which is what the art on the cover or our bulletin depicts. Sending your mother as an ambassador only makes the situation more unusual when they say: “Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask.” Whenever a conversation begins that way, you can be sure that something unusual is about to happen. “Make it so that we sit at your right and your left in your glory,” they say. Something we might expect is that Jesus would not be pleased with such an idea. The world is always hungry for glory and honor. The Bible teaches that this honor and glory belongs to God. We are told over and over again in the Scriptures that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Here James and John are asking to be seated at the best spots. Jesus does not rebuke them, however. Jesus had a fine sense for what people were actually after. He must have sensed that James and John were not thinking in a worldly way. Jesus asks them if they are able to drink the cup that he is going to drink and be baptized with the baptism Jesus is going to be baptized with. They answer, “We can.” The way that Jesus then responds shows that he is not like us. Proud men are fond of asking rhetorical questions of those they deem unworthy. Proud men ask others whether they think they can do their job. Proud men believe that only they can do their job. Everybody else is unqualified or inexperienced. So if proud men ask whether someone can do their job and the other says, “Yes, I can,” then proud men say, “Ho, ho, ho! You think so do you? You'd better have a second thought coming!” If there were ever a situation where this lording it over others seems to be appropriate, it might be this situation. When Jesus speaks of this cup and this baptism he is speaking about his suffering and death. By his selfless love, Jesus was going to drink the cup of suffering and be baptized in blood. He would not be put to death because he was a criminal and evil doer, but precisely because he loved God and strove for what is good. Jesus's suffering and death would redeem all people as justice is carried out upon him for the sins that you and I have committed. When James and John say that they can do what Jesus does, it seems like the more accurate answer for Jesus to give would be, “No, you can't.” But Jesus is an unusual person. When there are differences among us, we always want those differences to remain so that we look good. If we are better looking than someone else, we want it to stay that way. If we have more money than somebody else, we want it to stay that way. If we are more morally upright, we want it to stay that way. With Jesus, even though he is vastly superior in every respect to everyone else, he does not use this difference to glorify himself, to magnify how terrible everyone is compared to him. He uses his immense power to lift others up so that they become like him. He doesn't laugh at how others don't measure up. He wants others to be better. If it were possible, he would even have others be better than himself. So Jesus says to James and John, “You're right. You will drink the cup that I'm going to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I'm going to be baptized with.” He wonderfully does not domineer over these disciples, who probably don't know what they are saying. It's like he's looking on them as a kindly father might deal with his young son. The father knows that the son has a long way to go before he can do what the father does, but he wants to help his son, not humiliate him. He wants to encourage him. So he tells the son that he's going to be just as good as he is, if not better. Here James and John were wanting to follow in the footsteps of their master, Jesus. Here is a greatness and a glory that is good to strive after. Striving to have your name written in the history books, or to have everyone wish that they were you, is sinful pride. Luther called pride the queen of sins. It was sinful pride that came before the fall into sin. They wanted to be like God. This is the kind of pride that angers God so that he becomes an iron wall. But striving to become more like Jesus is no sin. This kind of glory is beneficial to others, because the goal is to make other people better—even better than yourself. It is not the one who has a lot or who is receiving a lot who is great. It is the one who gives who is great. But if this endeavor is genuine and Christian, it will always be a kind of glory that is utterly hidden and even repulsive to the world. Jesus died in shame. He was bruised, covered in spit, and mercilessly mocked. This is what the world always does when their works, that they are so stinking proud of, are pointed out as evil. That would be the way that the apostle James died too. People thought that he was judgmental and insubordinate to the Jewish authorities. I'm sure he made no secret of what he thought of Herod's abominations. He was too religious, too zealous. Perhaps you noticed in the reading that his arrest and execution pleased the people. They were  glad that he got what was coming to him. The people didn't like James. Do not romanticize the cross that Jesus gives us to carry. The cross is ugly and offensive to the world and to our reason. It appears to be unnecessary and fruitless—like someone is just throwing his or her life away. Christian suffering is not just when our money, our business, or even our lives are taken away. These are things that people might be willing to bear because there is a kind of glory that our reason can recognize as being great in that. No, Christian suffering includes even having our good name taken away. In this we follow Jesus. Nobody was better than Jesus, but what did people say of him? The Jews thought that he was a dangerous heretic, the worst of the worst, destroying Moses's Laws and leading people into hell. To this day the orthodox Jews see Jesus as the worst of the worst. The Romans thought that he was a total nutjob. He claimed that he was a king. He claimed to be important. When he was hanging on the cross they came up with some pretty funny jokes about that. Even Jesus's own disciples, by and large, abandoned him. They thought that he must have been an imposter when he said that he was the Christ, because there he was—condemned and dying. Only those who have eyes to see and ears to hear can perceive the glory of God in such things. But if this is the glory that you would like to strive after, then blessed are you! If you want to drink this cup and be baptized with this baptism, then you should be encouraged, just like Jesus encourages James and John here. Having the ambition of loving more, serving more, suffering more gladly, blessing those who curse you, loving your enemies—these are the best of things. These are the things that the Son of God did. God loved his Son and everything that Jesus did. Every moment of Jesus's life was precious to him as he loved and loved and loved even to the end. You may be sure that God is well pleased with you, as his good and faithful servant, when you are following in the footsteps of Jesus. And when we follow in the footsteps of Jesus we don't need to be too worried about falling into pride. The cross will see to that. When the other disciples heard about James' and John's request they were indignant. “Who do they think they are?” they wondered. But Jesus cleared that up pretty quickly. Worldly people are always wanting to be the best and sit at the best seats and have everybody wish that they could be as good as they are. “That's not how it should be among you,” Jesus says. “Instead,” he says, “whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Here we do not have a race to the top, where we are stepping on whomever we have to in order to get there. This is a race to the bottom if you will. Who can serve more? Who can put others ahead of themselves? That one is the great one. And so the apostle James was made great. He walked in the good works that God had prepared beforehand for him to walk in. He did not despise the cross and seek to be rid of it. He was not ashamed of the name of Jesus or of the Gospel. He was faithful unto death and has received the crown of everlasting life. He is an example for us to follow. God approves of his Son, so you should strive to drink the cup he drank, and to be baptized with the baptism with which he was baptized.

Does God's Word really promise us that if we follow certain steps we will receive healing? When James speaks of healing, does he only have physical healing in mind? Today we will examine how to pray for healing from James 5:13-18.

When James tells us that if we lack wisdom all we have to do is ask, and if we believe God will grant us wisdom, what does he mean? What is wisdom? Will God really not give it to us if we doubt? Today we will look at James 1:5-8 and see what God's Word tells us.

James Harper is the Founder of AgencyFlare, a gritty outbound sales agency that has learned to “punch above their weight class” when it comes to outbound sales. When James was a teenager, his step-father told him to get a sales job because James could sell anything. Fifteen years later, James realized that sales was actually his calling. Since 2015, James has sold over $3.5 million worth of B2B marketing services and has sold two companies that were both 100% bootstrapped from the ground up. Through his career, James noticed a major lack of quality sales companies that focused on cold prospecting and lead-generation, that also had a passion for providing true actionable B2B sales content: and thus, AgencyFlare was born. Throughout this episode we cover a lot of ground on today's best outbound practices and practical tips to help win more qualified meetings and sell with authenticity. Key Points of This Discussion James background and journey into sales AgencyFlare and the Company philosophy Mistakes sales teams are making with cold prospecting Being genuine and more authentic in a virtual setting Quality vs quantity outreach and personalisation Cost implications of a metrics-driven approach to prospecting Sales team culture and how it's overlooked What a good sales process looks like today Segmenting top, middle and end of funnel processes James' virtual selling tips Specialisation and setting reps up for success Practices to get meetings with the right people Identifying the “real” customer pain points A must listen for startups and tech companies who have a high focus on numbers and metrics. To learn more about AgencyFlare here www.AgencyFlare.com And you can find James here on Linkedin A freebie for salespeople! Subscribe to James' monthly outbound sales report here www.outboundsalesreport.com

In this episode of Pure Curiosity, I speak with James Onwuachi, a modern day philosopher, theologian and upper school dean. When James and I met in Houston 10 years ago we immediately had a good rapport, and managed to stay in touch despite multiple major moves around the country. Earlier this year, he reached out and shared an article he had written in Newsweek about the cancelling of Dr. Seuss, and I immediately asked him to join me on the podcast. This is a conversation about what sacredness means beyond the confines of traditional religion, and the role it plays in Cancel Culture. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness and depth James brings to these topics. I left our conversation feeling touched and inspired, and I have a feeling you will too.About Our Guest:After getting his masters in divinity at Vanderbilt University (where he's currently pursuing a doctorate) James Onwuachi went into academia. He is the Upper School Dean at Kinkaid Preparatory School in Houston Texas, and is the former Associate Dean at Vanderbilt University, Oberlin College, Grinnell College, and University of California-Santa Cruz. James is also an op-ed columnist for Newsweek magazine, where he discusses culture, race and theology.James' Newsweek Articles:As a Black Child in Houston, my Dr. Seuss Moment Was About Thomas JeffersonBlack Men Are a Rorschach Test That America Keeps FailingThe Real Source of Cancel Culture: We're Seeking Justice for Old Wounds  

EP124: James Wedmore was born and raised in sunny Laguna Beach, CA and now resides and runs his business in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona, AZ. For the last 15 years, James has leveraged his expertise to help teach Digital CEOs how to build and scale their online businesses through courses and trainings like his signature program, Business By Design, other programs such as Sales Page By Design and Nail Your Niche, as well as many other business-building trainings inside of James' abundant course library. Along with being notorious in the online space for his unrivaled online courses and content, James also facilitates Next Level, a strategic, group-coaching experience as well as his high-level Mastermind, The Inner Circle. When James isn't working, he can be found hiking, flipping homes for Airbnb, or off-roading through the rocky terrain of Sedona. His motto is simple: Work hard, play harder! James has been my business coach since I signed up for his Business By Design program back in October 2018, when I was on the cusp of turning 60 and had really nothing more than a deep desire to create something meaningful in the online space but clueless otherwise. Having James as a coach along with his unbelievable program to teach me everything I needed to be successful has been life-changing, not only for me but for the many women whose lives I've been able to impact through my work and for the small team who now stands in support of our amazing mission. I'm so thankful for James and so happy I took the plunge and invested in him as my coach even if he's almost half my age!!! He's my ride or die guy in this entrepreneurial journey I'm on. And I'm so lucky that I still get the opportunity to learn from him on every call we have, even after 2.5 years! CLICK HERE to get on board his high value, free training "Rise of the Digital CEO" and you can also find out more about him by going to his website: https://www.jameswedmoretraining.com/ To connect with me, you can find me at any of the following links: Website: www.notyouraveragegrandma.com  Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaurieColvinWright  Instagram: www.instagram.com/not_your_average_grandma  Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/NotYourAverageGrandma  Note: Not Your Average Grandma is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  

In this episode, and round two of my interview with James Wedmore we're exploring the opportunity right now in 2021 as we move out of the craziness of 2020 - the opportunity for building a digital business based around courses, digital products, and coaching. → Join the free training http://engagevideomarketing.com/rise (The Rise of the Digital CEO) starting this Thursday 17th June James Wedmore has spent the last 15 years leveraging his expertise to help teach Digital CEOs how to build and scale their online businesses through courses and trainings like his signature program, Business By Design, other programs such as Sales Page By Design and Nail Your Niche, as well as many other business-building trainings inside of James' abundant course library. Along with being notorious in the online space for his unrivaled online courses and content, James also facilitates Next Level, a strategic, group-coaching experience as well as his high-level Mastermind, The Inner Circle. When James isn't working, he can be found hiking, flipping homes for Airbnb, or off-roading through the rocky terrain of Sedona. His motto is simple: Work hard, play harder! Support this podcast

Running a business is hard. However, there's only one way to fail in it, and that's to quit. Today, I'm joined by my coach, James Wedmore, to discuss how to ensure your success through cultivating a resilient entrepreneurial mindset.   About James Wedmore For the last 15 years, James has leveraged his expertise to help teach Digital CEOs how to build and scale their online businesses through courses and trainings like his signature program, Business By Design, other programs such as Sales Page By Design and Nail Your Niche, as well as many other business-building trainings inside of James' abundant course library. Along with being notorious in the online space for his unrivaled online courses and content, James also facilitates Next Level, a strategic, group-coaching experience as well as his high-level Mastermind, The Inner Circle. When James isn't working, he can be found hiking, flipping homes for Airbnb, or off-roading through the rocky terrain of Sedona. His motto is simple: Work hard, play harder!   Why You Will Succeed If Your Never Give Up Personal development and how much we are willing to work on ourselves is really what allows us to have the business that we desire. Sure, learning and implementing sound business strategies is important. But it really comes down to mindset. Although entrepreneurship has its risks and challenges, if you are determined enough, you will make it. With this attitude in mind, James explains how to view your success as an inevitability. The problem is that many people give up too soon. You need to stick with it. With the right coaching, community, and support, your success will only arrive that much sooner.   Doing Less to Earn More It may seem counterintuitive, but as a business owner, the less you do, the more you'll make. James explains why the role that you fill determines the results that you receive. This is because creating a business means creating many different roles. Filling all these roles yourself is only going to keep you extremely busy without leading to much actually getting done. So instead of spending the majority of your time in the roles that don't actually earn the money, James wants us to determine what activities actually produce the most result and focus on those.   Seeing Yourself as the Key to Your Business' Success We also talk about the difference between changing your business approach versus actual failure. Often, things won't go the way you want. In fact, that's an inevitable part of business. There will be setbacks. James reinforces the idea that you should never quit. Instead, when things go badly, look for opportunities to try a different approach. Understand that your most valuable asset is you. Your personal brand is what differentiates your business and will earn you a loyal following. If it comes time for you to pivot, the power of your own identity which you imbue into your business will mean that there's a group of people who will follow you wherever you go. What do you see as your role inside your business? Leave a comment on the episode page!   Got a question you'd love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here!   In This Episode What led James into coaching and digital course creation [5:40] Seeing your success as an inevitability and your failures as an essential part of the process [12:30] What you should really be listening for when working with a coach [19:48] The difference of mindset between employee and entrepreneur [23:32] What happens when you identify the most important roles in your business [27:52] How to successfully pivot your business with the power of your personal brand [44:22] Why you are more important than the idea in your business [53:40] The most important measurement of success [58:50]   Quotes “Yes, it is going to be risky. Yes, it's going to be challenging. Of course! But that's what you signed up for. That's what it's about…. But we operate from a very simple principle that changed everything for me, which is that your success is inevitable…. It's only a matter of time.” [12:41] “The employee says, ‘I'll just work harder, longer, and faster.' But the entrepreneur says, ‘I need to work less and spend more of that time in higher-elevated, more valuable roles that the business needs from me.'” [33:22] “Quitting is the only true failure that exists.” [47:17] “Are you willing to do those hard things? Are you willing to be uncomfortable? Are you willing to let go of the things that feel familiar and safe? Are you willing to get a little overwhelmed, a little confused, to feel outside your comfort zone? It doesn't mean you can't. Of course, you can. It's just challenging. It pushes us. But as a result, we grow.” [52:26]   Review Fed and Fearless on Apple Podcasts! Send a screenshot of your review to hello@lauraschoenfeldrd.com or send me a DM on Instagram and I'll send you my Overcoming Undereating eBook. If you post your favorite episode in your Insta stories and tag me @LauraShoenfeldRD, I'll also send you my 14-Day Calorie Challenge Recipe Guide!   Links Get on the Business By Design waitlist! Find James Wedmore online Follow James on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Leave a review of Fed and Fearless! Sign Up For The Free Training: The 5 Secrets of Fearlessly Healthy Women of Faith Learn more about business coaching with me Got a question you'd love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here! Join the Fed and Fearless Society on Facebook Follow me on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative

In this episode, I had a very deep conversation with my mentor James Wedmore. This episode brought a lot of insights and breakthroughs ... and a lot of emotional shifts. Yes, James helped me to get from burnout struggling high-achiever to flow manifestor. Thanks to James I have much more fun in my business, I built a team and business that makes global impact and I make more money by Being more and doing less. It took me 5 hours to record an intro to this interview ... and even more to publish it afterwards. You will know why, when you listen :). Hope it will bring you clarity and shifts so you can start operating at your full potential. James went from a broke bartender to now running a successful 8-figure company with a team and 40 coaches working for him and serving over a thousand students in his online programs. We touched following questions and everything in between: 1. What impact is James wanting to create? 2. What is preventing people to use their full potential? 3. What happens when we are overthinking? 4. What are 3 things that successful 7-figure entrepreneurs have? Who is James Wedmore? James Wedmore was born and raised in sunny Laguna Beach, CA and now resides and runs his business in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona, AZ. For the last 15 years, James has leveraged his expertise to help teach Digital CEOs how to build and scale their online businesses through courses and trainings like his signature program, Business By Design, other programs such as Sales Page By Design and Nail Your Niche, as well as many other business-building trainings inside of James' abundant course library. Along with being notorious in the online space for his unrivalled online courses and content, James also facilitates Next Level, a strategic, group-coaching experience as well as his high-level Mastermind, The Inner Circle. When James isn't working, he can be found hiking, flipping homes for Airbnb, or off-roading through the rocky terrain of Sedona. His motto is simple: Work hard, play harder! Grab your Free First 100 Leads course for free: https://bit.ly/100Firstleads Check James's podcast: https://www.mindyourbusinesspodcast.com/ If you enjoyed this conversation, we would love for you to take the screenshot and share your takeaway on Instagram by tagging James: https://www.instagram.com/jameswedmore/ and D https://www.instagram.com/dijanallugolli --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/fearlessandsuccessful/message

Daniel 5:1-4 (NIV)“King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine, he gave orders to bring in the gold and silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.” When Living for God in an Ungodly Culture: 1. There will be events and situations of deliberate mockery and blaspheme of God.   2. God is the One responsible for defending His own Name. Daniel 5:5 (NIV)“Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote.” Daniel 5:6 (NIV)“His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.” Daniel 5:7-16 (NIV)“The king summoned the enchanters, astrologers and diviners. Then he said to these wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’ Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale. His nobles were baffled. The queen, hearing the voices of the king and his nobles, came into the banquet hall. ‘May the king live forever!’ she said. ‘Don’t be alarmed! Don’t look so pale! There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.’ So Daniel was brought before the king, and the king said to him, ‘Are you Daniel, one of the exiles my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. Now I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems…’” 3. Your godly life will attract those in need of God.  Daniel 5:13-16 (NLT)“So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king asked him, ‘Are you Daniel? ...I have heard that you have the spirit of the gods within you and that you are filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom. My wise men and enchanters have tried to read the words on the wall and tell me their meaning, but they cannot do it. I am told that you can give interpretations and solve difficult problems. If you can read these words and tell me their meaning, you will be clothed in purple robes of royal honor, and you will have a gold chain placed around your neck. You will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’” Daniel 5:17 (NIV)“Then Daniel answered the king, ‘You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means.’” 4. You will be faced with the temptation to sellout your character and God’s calling for an opportunity.  Galatians 1:10 (NIV)“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Daniel 5:18-21 (NIV)“‘Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.’” Daniel 5:22-23 (NIV)“‘But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven.’” Daniel 5:23 (NIV)“‘You had the goblets from His temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.’” Daniel 5:24-28 (NIV)“Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. ‘This is the inscription that was written:MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN‘Here is what these words mean:Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’” Jeremiah 27:4-7 (ESV)“Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.”’” Daniel 5:29 (NIV)“Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.” Daniel 5:30-31 (NIV)“That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.”  5. God is the only one who holds the authority to pass final judgment, not you.  John 12:47-48 (NLT)“I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.” Luke 9:52-56 (NLT)“He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because He was on His way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, ‘Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village.” 

Today I have the pleasure of bringing on my friend & colleague James Petrie.  James & I first met at a downtown club in NYC around 6 years ago.  (Wow great memories!).  A club owned Ori Allon back in the day.  In any event, fast track to today I wanted to share with you all, James’s path to success & where he is now, where he was in the past, and where he’s going in to the future.  We discuss the insanity of what is the rental market in the Hamptons, the sales market, invaluable data for any investors out there looking to acquire or build in the Hamptons, and the legacy that he intends to make & the footprint he wants to mark in the high stakes real estate market of the Hamptons.   James & his family are the founding agents of Compass in the Hamptons, and they’ve played an integral role in building our presence out in Long Island. Through James & his family, we’ve become a top brokerage in the Hamptons market within five years.   James has experience transacting at all price points from Southampton to Montauk and has built his own business while playing a key role in some of the biggest deals along the ocean and coveted estate sections.  James earned a degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on sustainable design from the University of Colorado before returning to the Hamptons to build his real estate career and resume his life in East Hampton. James is an avid sportsman, former East Hampton lifeguard, and surfing enthusiast. When James is not guiding clients through the home buying and selling process, he can be found enjoying the world-class breaks of the East End, snowboarding in Colorado, & raising his chickens.  You may follow James’s personal IG at @grindedpeach and his real estate IG at @petrieteam along with his website www.petrieteam.com

In this week’s episode, I talk with James Schmachtenberger, founder and CEO of Neurohacker Collective. James went through an inspirational healing journey when he was younger that greatly impacted his entrepreneurial path. He is now a successful serial entrepreneur with a lifelong focus on using business and innovation to effect large-scale change for the benefit of humanity. In this inspiring episode, we discuss: • The healing power of kindness in the face of trauma • Practicing empathy to help yourself and others • Vitamins and nootropics – what they are, how they help, and the differences between them• The demonization of alternative medicines based on fear and ignorance • How the safe use of cannabis could be key to improving people's quality of life When James was 5 years old, he decided to be vegetarian. At the age of 10, he went door-to-door raising money for Greenpeace. Then, he bought a school close to bankruptcy aged 18.Throughout his career, he’s created several companies in natural and integrative medicine, written legislation to improve prohibitionary laws, produced award-winning documentaries, and founded some of the top companies in education, cannabis, and human performance. Find out more about Neurohacker here Watch James’ Ted Talk about empathy 

When James was just six years old, his older brother David died tragically in an ice-skating accident. It was the day before David’s fourteenth birthday. In the years that followed, James tried his best to console his mother, Margaret, who in her deep grief sometimes reminded herself that her elder son would never have to face the challenges of growing up. In James Barrie’s fertile imagination, decades later that same idea would burgeon into inspiration for a much-loved children’s story character who never aged: Peter Pan. Like a flower pushing its way through pavement, good emerged even from the hard ground of unthinkable heartache. How comforting is the thought that God, in an infinitely more creative way, is able to bring good out of our most difficult circumstances. A beautiful illustration of this occurs in the Old Testament story of Ruth. Naomi lost her two sons, leaving her without means or support. Her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth chose to remain with Naomi to help provide for her and to serve her God (Ruth 1:16). In the end, God’s provision brought them unexpected joy. Ruth remarried and had a child, “and they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David” (Ruth 4:17). He would also be listed among the ancestors of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). God’s tender mercy reaches beyond our ability to fathom and meets us in surprising places. Keep looking! Perhaps you will see it today.

Ever wondered why Vicky bangs on about the importance of storytelling? Well, pull up a chair and open your ears and listen: this week, she interviews Black British narrative storyteller and humorist James Pogson. James is known informally as LinkedIn’s poet laureate and this week he spills an entire teapot about why it’s so important we get to hear individual stories and voices, especially from Black people and especially marginalised voices. It might get uncomfortable: that’s cool. Sit with it. Absorb it. Listen.   Key Takeaways: [1:25] This podcast might make you uncomfortable, but it’s an important topic about how Black people are treated in Britain and in society!  [3:00] Why is it so important that people tell their stories?  [4:30] James shares his experiences as a man ‘writing while Black’.  [5:45] Black people are still fighting for their humanity.  [9:40] How do we express our true selves at work and not suppress it?  [11:40] What does James do and how does he help people tell their stories?  [14:00] People just don’t know how to tell their stories.  [17:35] James shares some of the common misconceptions people have about him ‘because he’s Black’.  [22:20] When James had to put on a mask for Covid, he had a lot of internal conflict. Should he take it off to show he’s not a threat? Leave it on? Dilemma.  [25:35] There are countless stories of white people telling stories that Black people were animals and savages.  [29:00] James is in the process of writing a series of books! Stay tuned for more!    Mentioned in This Episode: Website Order Vicky’s new book! 90-day Book Course Creative Book Coaching Join Vicky’s Power Hour Project Dingle Join Vicky’s Masterclass Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Overcast   Bad Friday, by Norman Samuda Smith  James Pogson on LinkedIn

When James and Kimberly bought their first 28 unit Multifamily community in 2019, they repositioned their lives to be prosperous and coincidentally provided financial stability for their passive partners through the Coronavirus Pandemic. Al Gordon gives insider information to the numbers behind their deal and what was done within the property to create outstanding returns, projecting an 86% ROI over 3 years! Click to Listen Now

When James and Kimberly bought their first 28 unit Multifamily community in 2019, they repositioned their lives to be prosperous and coincidentally provided financial stability for their passive partners through the Coronavirus Pandemic. Al Gordon gives insider information to the numbers behind their deal and what was done within the property to create outstanding returns, projecting an 86% ROI over 3 years! Click to Listen Now

People often talk about spirals that descend downwards, but we often forget that spirals can go upwards too. In today's episode, James Clarke and I talk about some of the ways to propel our credibility into an upward spiral. James Clarke is the managing partner of Clarke Capital Partners. Early in his career, James founded and led a Utah-based online retailer named CLEARLINK with more than 2,000 employees. He's earned some prestigious awards. For example, the Utah State Bar named James as the "Technology Pioneer of the Year" and BusinessQ Magazine named him as one of their “10 Coolest Entrepreneurs”. He is also the Governor-appointed Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees at Utah Valley University. How Credibility Can Work Like an Upward Spiral Credibility spirals can start in a small situation with low stakes. Maybe it's a project that is due. When someone comes through for us in that situation, and they do what they say they are going to do, we tend to give them more trust. Then we'll ask them to do something with a little higher stakes. When they prove they can do that they earn even more trust. That same process repeats in an upward spiral of responsibility and trust.  James shared an example of how he saw this upward credibility spiral happen with his business partner. They knew each other in school, and as they built their relationship, that trust grew. It spiraled throughout the years, and now they have an implicit trust with one another, trusting everything about each other. Likability, Trust, and Reliability  “When we like people we want to work with them, when we trust them we want to work with them, and then the last part is about the nuts and bolts of what we do as a business.” -James Clarke A mentor of James' taught him about the three things that make people want to work with each other... if we like the person, trust the person, and know that they'll make us money. Those last two elements are obviously elements of credibility. It is important for us to instill that trust in our associates, and we do that by being reliable and ethical. There are people we like that we don't want to do business with and it's often because we don't trust them and know they aren't reliable. We need to become the kind of people that we want to work with. We must do what we say we're going to do, be honest at all times, especially when it's hard, and take responsibility when things go wrong. Education--Connections and Credibility James did the Owner/President Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School. He spent two years in the program and built some of the best relationships he's ever built in his life there, working with incredible people, a handful of whom were already billionaires. It was his first experience and exposure to great business professionals.  The program didn't grant a master's degree, but it gave James wonderful connections and the credibility that comes with saying he went to Harvard. James realized that a master's degree would give him even more credibility, so he decided to go to Oxford. This is another school that provides instant credibility. Why do these schools provide so much credibility to graduates? One reason may be that they have rigorous application and interview processes, and the programs themselves are rigorous. Graduates from these schools are considered intelligent and hard working.  In addition, most people believe in a traditional education like this. Society generally supports the idea that the best way to become educated is to attend a university, and one of these prestigious universities will give us an even more prestigious education. Wherever we are in the process of our education, receiving higher education, if that is an option, maybe something to consider because it may give us greater credibility. “Upon the subject of education… I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people may be engaged in.” -Abraham Lincoln Love We don't generally think about love as a part of business, but there are a couple of concepts related to love that build credibility. For example, we don't care what someone has to say until we know that they care about us and what we're doing. This also plays into the credibility spiral. When someone really loves us, we are open to them giving us good advice, and we'll apply their advice more often. When their advice works in our lives, they have more credibility in our eyes, and we listen to their next advice more, and the credibility just keeps building. James has hired thousands of employees, and he's seen this play out with many of them. If it doesn't work out with an employee, it's usually for one of two reasons. The first reason, which is very rare, is that they just don't get it. They don't have the mental capacity, or they don't have what it takes to understand.  The second reason is that they just don't care. They just don't love what they're doing, so they don't care about their job or the people they're working with. Unfortunately, when this is the situation, we can feel it in every part of what they're involved in. This is why it is important to go into fields that we love and work with people we love. We will do better work, give better advice, and rise in our credibility spiral with those around us. “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States Another Angle of Love--Passion-Marketing There is another angle of love that we can relate to marketing, which is passion-marketing. This is finding what customers love and connecting with them through those top-level passions. At PetIQ, where James worked for about 10 years, they didn't focus on their products in their marketing. Instead, they focused on what their customers are passionate about their pets. They were no longer pet owners, they were pet parents. For many of their customers, their pets are like their children, so they used that passion to market to their customers. James has done this kind of thing in other organizations as well. In healthcare, for example, James can't imagine anything nobler than trying to save people's lives, so they talk about helping cure highly infectious diseases, which is something that people can be highly passionate about.  Losing Credibility  When James was selling CLEARLINK, he started doing business with a good friend of his. Six months into this service, James was billed for the equivalent of five years of fees in one single quarter. He knew something was wrong but didn't know what. James immediately brought it to the attention of his friend, who humbly apologized and said he would take care of it.  James thought the issue was a mistake that had been completely resolved and continued to work with the friend, but he soon learned that the same thing had happened to others that James had referred to as his friend. They had all been overbilled and not by small amounts but by hundreds of thousands of dollars. That relationship ended before it really began. Fast forward to today that individual has now been sentenced and is headed to federal prison. We need to be sure we always strive to do what we say we're going to do so we increase instead of destroying our credibility. “Once you lose your credibility, you can never restore it.” -Reinhold Messner, Italian mountaineer, explorer, and author Who is the most credible person in your life and why? James and his aunt both had a very similar upbringing. They came from middle-class families, working on their family's farms. James' aunt built her own global business named Diet Center and was very successful. She was also very generous, always telling James he could borrow her very nice car, or asking him how she could help his school. She was a great example of James being successful and giving back, and he thought, “If she could do it then I can do it.” She and her husband were truly authentic and credible. They got behind different causes, and they really helped build up the community. James thinks of her as the most credible person in his life because she was very successful and generous. Key Takeaways Thank you so much James for sharing your stories and knowledge with us today. Here are some of my key takeaways from this episode: Start growing our credibility spirals by doing what we say we are going to do and proving we can be trusted in low-stake situations, then building toward being trusted in higher-stakes situations. Be honest and quickly take responsibility when things go wrong. Education can really boost our credibility. Consider getting more relevant education or training if we haven't already. Share love to show people that we truly care about them and what they love to further build our credibility. Go into fields we love to ensure that we care about what we're doing and increase our chance of success. Use passion marketing to connect with the things our customers are most passionate about. When we are successful, be generous with that success to help others. Connect with James If you enjoyed this interview and want to learn more about or connect with James or his business, you can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesclarke2/.  Want to be a Better Digital Monetizer? Did you like today's episode? Then please follow these channels to receive free digital monetization content: Get a free Monetization Assessment of your business Subscribe to the free Monetization eMagazine. Subscribe to the Monetization Nation YouTube channel. Subscribe to the Monetization Nation podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.  Follow Monetization Nation on Instagram and Twitter. Share Your Story  How have you seen others propel their credibility in an upward spiral? Please join our private Monetization Nation Facebook group and share your insights with other digital monetizers. Read at: https://monetizationnation.com/blog/50-how-to-propel-your-credibility-into-an-upward-spiral/ 

One of the most powerful, yet practical verses in all of the Bible is found in James 1:5 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”I think of James as he shares God's promise for wisdom. James knew that it's relatively easy to live as a Christian when things are calm. But it's much more difficult when the storms of life hit with full force.  During these times, it's easy to get off course or even to make shipwreck of your faith. His readers were facing extremely difficult trials. They were scattered abroad, mostly due to persecution.  In a sense, they were refugees. They had suffered the loss of their homes and possessions. Many were not able to escape persecution even in the places to which they had fled. James wanted them to know how to navigate through these trials with the wisdom of God.When James says, “If any of you lacks wisdom,” he is not suggesting that some have it together so well that they have no need of wisdom. In the Greek this is a conditional sentence, which implies that we all lack wisdom when we face difficult trials. But, we don't always see our need for God's wisdom. In the Old Testament, God came to Solomon and said, ‘You're the king of Israel. I'm going to grant you one wish. What do you want more than anything else in life?' Solomon thought it over and said, ‘I'm so inadequate as a leader. I don't know what to do with these people. More than anything else I want wisdom. I want to be able to think the way You think, to see things from Your point of view, be able to make decisions the way You would make them. I don't want to make mistakes. I don't want to look back on my life later and have regrets. I want wisdom.' The Bible says that God was pleased with that request. He granted it to him, just like God always gives wisdom to those that ask for it. He said, ‘Solomon, because you asked for wisdom, I'm going to give you the other things too: wealth, fame, and long life.Later Solomon would write in Proverbs 8:11 – “for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”Like Solomon and James we must realize that to obtain wisdom we first have to recognize that we need it. The context of James is the wisdom that we need to endure trials with God's joy, so that we will be “mature and complete, not lacking anything.” How many times have we been in the midst of the storm and we desperately needed God's wisdom?I love the words of Abraham Lincoln who said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.  We can ask God for wisdom in any matter in life that we face, but in the context here, it is focused on asking God for the wisdom that we need to endure trials joyfully. Enduring trials with joy goes against our natural inclination. When trouble hit, we're all prone to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” But usually this is the wrong question. Sometimes, God reveals the reason for our suffering, but sometimes he doesn't. The important questions to ask when a trial hits are, “How can I understand this trial from God's perspective? How can I navigate through this storm in such a way as to bring glory to God? How can this trial help me grow in maturity?” Today's Challenge: If you are facing a difficulty, a storm, or one of the trials of life, you can reach out to God for his wisdom. He has promised to give it to you. We must recognize that we need his wisdom, and then we ask him for it. God wants to give you His wisdom.  He's got a rich storehouse of wisdom from which you and I can draw for the rest of our lives.  

And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him (Mark 1:19-20). When James and John left their father, their servants, their business, and they nets. It's not that those things no longer existed. They were still sons, masters, employees, and fishers. But after answering the call to Jesus they had new priorities. Have you turned to the higher priority of Jesus today? For more content like this, visit https://mediagratiae.org/podcasts.

Networking with Big Wigs Carole writes Howie At 08:52 AM 1/29/03 -0500:   Have fun at golf.  I had a great time last night.  I went to volunteer for the Frank Sanchez campaign and ended up at the Mayoral debates sponsored by The Organization of Black Affairs.  In a room of about 200 people, I was one of only maybe 5 white people.  Blacks are not traditionally crazy about big cats and I can honestly say I only have one die hard supporter in the black community and who should I walk up and sit next to but him?  I now have tons of friends in the black community, including key contacts at the St. Pete Times and WMNF who says they will do a program on us.   James Ransom, my friend, serves the county as sort of the ethics police and from what I saw in the room is loved by everyone.  Frank Sanchez came over to hug him and James reintroduced me with a glowing rendition of my life's accomplishments to date.   When James told Frank that I had just signed up as a volunteer on his behalf he hugged me with such emotion that I thought he was crying when he said "Bless you!"  I took advantage of the moment this morning by asking Frank to sit on my Advisory Board because we have 4276 families in Tampa that support us.  In H.C. there are 390,000 households and over 500,000 dogs and cats, so the pet vote is a big one and his association with us could only help.   They took a straw vote last night and Frank had 40% of the vote with the next highest being Pam Iorio at 27%.  I liked her and she seems to be a highly ethical person, but she doesn't have the business skills and experience that he has.  Did you know he was from Harvard?  I don't live in the City limits, so I can't vote, but I think he is just what Tampa needs and will be a great advocate for us whether he is willing to serve on the board or not.  It is warming up here.  I have to give a tour this morning, then lunch with Mom, Jamie and Daniel.  I miss you and look forward to your return.   Carole writes Howie:  29 Jan 2003 22:16:50 EST    Dear Howie,  Today was a great day.  Scott gave a tour to a guy who turned out to be worth 160 million and who is the Nascar driver you see on the cola machines all over the place.  He supports a road side zoo and the greyhound rescue groups and we are his new favourite place.  (He never did donate) I met with Alexandria and Beth today for a 3 hour tour.  Alex helps raise funds for Shambala and Exotic Cat Breeding Facility and says she's never seen anyplace run as well as ours and wants to help us from Michigan.  I am meeting with her tomorrow as well.  Beth is the significant other to one of the Detroit Tigers and is trying to get them to do something public with or for us.  It was her second time here.  She came last year when the Tigers were here for training and did the Big Cat Expedition.   Tomorrow I meet with Catherine from MOSI who has the hot air balloon company.  She wants to show me plans she wants to develop into a joint venture in which she picks people up for a balloon ride and then delivers them to us for the safari (our Big Cat Expedition) and then back to her for the evening ride.  She says she has plans to advertise it on the balloon which would give us a lot more exposure.  Scott has been working on that lead and just invited me to see what she is presenting tomorrow.   The guy from James Auto Body, who wants to do the billboard for us, has been missing me all day in telephone tag, but that should be resolved soon.   I made a 100k offer on a house in Carrollwood but haven't heard from the bank.  I think I could make a quick 20k on it.  The bank has two offers of 115k each, but the people have to get financing and I can't imagine a bank financing it in it's current condition.  The bank that owns it says they won't.  Probably the best news in all of that is that I reconnected with Mel Bermudez of 3Palaces Realty.  He used to be a competitor of mine, and told me he was injured badly a couple years ago and couldn't do the fix up on foreclosures any more, so he would toss them my way as he ran things that need a lot of work.  He is very active as a Realtor in Tampa, so that was very fortuitous.   Jamie is just too swamped to deal with the web site, so I decided to move it back to my computer.  That took several hours and just about had me beat, but I finally was able to open it and all 2100 pages are not only there, but in the right order.  Yahoo!  Now, I can go to bed and dream of you.  - Carole   Howie writes to Carole:  29 Jan 2003 16:34:20 -0500   Sounds like VERY successful networking to me!  Wow!  Played a fantastic front 9 holes today, after which Alan turned to me and said "It looks Carole and I bring out the best in you."   Thought that was cute.  I sucked on the back 9, which had the silver lining of letting him win although I would never do it intentionally.   Frank sounds like a great candidate and I'd enjoy knowing more.  I am pretty ignorant about local politics and have never gotten involved at all, and only know of Pam from the press about the voting job and had a good overall impression, versus no impression of Frank.  But he sounds great.  Of course anybody smart enough to bless you is bound to be good!   Odds are I won't be arriving in Tampa until 9pm or so tomorrow, but if happen to get on the road early to arrive before 8, do you have plans or should I call to see if you'd like to have late dinner?  Don't change anything - odds are against.  Just a thot.   Wow.  Not only did you pack so much into your day, but every part of it seemed to have major positive implications.  Wonderful!  And I'm flattered that after all that, you still had a thought of me at the end.  Thanks.  Really look forward to seeing you.   Your earlier email said you weren't feeling well - very stiff.  I hope that eased up.  Jacuzzi help?  If I can help with that laser thing let me know. - Howie     I've been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/   I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.     You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile! Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile   You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org   Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue   Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.

There was once a college student who was having a hard time understanding all the injustice in the world. He spent a great deal of his time feeling angry and frustrated. When he could stand it no longer, he went to the dim and seldom-used chapel on campus. He paced up and down the aisles, slapping the back of the empty pews. He yelled, he cried, and he raged at God saying,“God You created the world. What could You possibly have been thinking? Look at the problems people face. Look at the pain, suffering, and hunger. Look at the neglect, the waste, the abuse. Everywhere I look, I see messed-up people, hurting people, lonely people!”The young man ranted and raved like this on and on. Finally, exhausted, he sat in the front pew and looked hopelessly at the cross and said,“It's all such a mess! This world You created is nothing but a terrible mess! Why even I could make a world better than this one!”At that moment the young man heard the voice of God reply, “That is exactly what I want you to do.”Well, that's what He wants us to do as well-make this world a better place by getting involved in meeting the needs we see around us. We make the world a better place by pointing them to the savior and his grace. And if we truly experience His grace-we'll want to do this. If we don't allow our faith in God's grace to drive us to help others, the Bible says in the book of James that our faith profits no one-it is a useless faith.Listen to James 2:14-19 - What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.When James talks about works he is speaking of those actions in the lives of Christians, which spring up from our new life in Christ.  Scripture clearly teaches us that we are not saved by works.  If you are trusting in knowledge, education, wisdom, your feeling, your emotions, religion, or even your belief – you are not saved.  Salvation comes when you place your trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross to pay the debt and the weight of your sins.  But James is saying that the evidence that you have truly trusted Christ for your salvation is good deeds – works.We clearly understand that we are not saved and forgiven of our sins because of our works or good deeds. You could never work your way into Heaven.  We do not do good works to be saved. We do good works because we are saved.The life we live for Christ is the evidence of our salvation. James is saying, “it should be visible.” You can't call yourself a Christian and not live like one. There is an outer evidence of the inner work of Christ in our lives.When James uses the word works here it is not referring to some type of service that is done. He is speaking of the way of life that faith brings, which includes service. Good works or beneficial living is the evidence of genuine faith. If you truly believe in something – you want to do something about it. Paul Harvey once said, “If you don't live it, you don't believe it.”Today's Challenge: Real faith is not just something you believe, it's something you do. It's not passive. It's active. It's committed to doing something. Today choose to live your faith out loud. Let it be visible. Let your faith cause you to serve God with passion and purpose.

Dr. James Russell joins me for the third episode in my series on the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. Dr. Russell is a book historian in Phoenix, Arizona. He completed his doctorate at the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies at Durham University in the UK. James is interested in how material texts shape spiritual experiences. Focusing on early modern esoteric and contemplative literature, he studies the traces readers have left behind in books and manuscripts in order to reconstruct the reading experiences of the past. Marginalia in the Buffalo copy of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, what Dr. Russell describes as a “DVD menu”.In his dissertation, Dr. Russell wrote, “Instead of merely being viewed as an art object, the HP was a text in which readers engaged extensively with both word and image.”1 We discuss the HP as a used text as evidenced by its marginalia, like a “humanist activity book” filled with pen-and-paper intellectual games, whether or not the author intended it to be. James also leads us through an exploration of several of the commentators of early editions of the HP, including two alchemists, a botanist, and Pope Alexander VII. This conversation opens up so many new avenues that make this remarkable book worth exploring and enjoying. When James first approached me, he mentioned The Book that Nobody Read by Owen Gingerich. Gingerich attempts to trace the influence of Copernicus’s De Revolutionibus using marginalia. I was also a fan of Gingerich’s book, so I knew right away we would have plenty to talk about. Please enjoy this episode and don’t be afraid to write in your books! Links Dr. Russell’s dissertation, `Many Other Things Worthy of Knowledge and Memory’: The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its Annotators, 1499-1700 Dr. Russell is on Twitter! Thrift Store Book History on YouTube (it’s just a placeholder for now!) The rest of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili episodes Citations and Resources Here is a list of sources that Dr. Russell used in preparing his notes for the interview. Primary Sources Le Tableau des riches Inventions…dans le songe de Poliphile (Paris: Guillemot, 1600). This is the openly alchemical 1600 edition of the HP D’Espagnet, Jean, Enchiridion Physicae Restitutae (Paris: Widow N. de Sercy, 1642, 3rd edn). Nazari, Giovan Battista, Della tramutatione metallica sogni tre (Brescia: Pietro Maria Marchetti, 1599). English translation: Three Dreams on the Transmutation of Metals, trans. Doug Skinner (Glasgow: Magnum Opus Hermeticum Sourceworks, 2002). A very HP-like alchemical allegory Quintilian, Institutio oratoria, ed. and trans. H.E.Butler (London: Heinemann, 1963).   On Marginalia: Barney, Stephen A., Annotation and Its Texts (Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press, 1991).  Jackson, Heather J., Marginalia: Readers Writing in Books (Yale University Press: New Haven and London, 2005) Jardine, Lisa and Anthony Grafton, ‘“Studied for Action”: How Gabriel Harvey Read His Livy’, Past & Present 129 (1990), pp. 30-78.   Sherman, William H., Used Books: Marking Readers in Renaissance England (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007).   Other Secondary Sources Doody, Aude, Pliny’s Encyclopedia: The Reception of the Naturalis historia (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).    Eco, Umberto, The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, trans. Geoffrey Brock (London: Vintage Books, 2005).   Fierz-David, Linda, The Dream of Poliphilo: The Soul in Love (Dallas, TX: Spring Publications, 1987). A Jungian reading of Poliphilus and Polia as Animus/Anima Freud, Sigmund, The Interpretation of Dreams (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999)   Heckscher, William S., ‘Bernini’s Elephant and Obelisk’, Art Bulletin 29 (1947), pp. 155-82 Jung, Carl, Psychology and Alchemy (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1953)  Kenny, N., The Palace of Secrets: Béroalde de Verville and Renaissance Conceptions of Knowledge (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991). On the author of the 1600 alchemical edition of the HP Painter, George D. The Hypnerotomachia Poliphilo of 1499: An introduction on the Dream, the Dreamer, the Artist, and the Printer (London: Eugrammia Press, 1963). An introduction to the HP which highlights the pagan nature of the text Poe, Edgar Allan, ‘Marginalia’ in James A. Harrison, ed., The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe Vol. XVI, (New York: AMS, 1965) pp. 1-178. Priki, Efthymia, ‘Elucidating and Enigmatizing: the Reception of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili in the Early Modern Period and in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries’, eSharp 14 (2009), pp. 62-90 http://www.gla.ac.uk/esharp Accessed 21/08/2011. Rhizopoulou, On the botanical content of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili https://doi.org/10.1080/23818107.2016.1166070 On Aldus Manutius and the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili Barolini, Helen, Aldus and his Dream Book (New York: Italica Press, 1992). Casella, Maria Teresa, and Giovanni Pozzi, Francesco Colonna. Biografia e opere. Vol. I Biografia (M.T. Casella), Vol. II Opere (G. Pozzi) (Padua: Antenore, 1959). Cruz, Esteban Alejandro, Re-Discovering Antiquity through the Dreams of Poliphilus (Oxford: Trafford, 2006).  Fogliati, Silvia and David Dutto, Il Giardino di Polifilo: ricostruzione virtuale dalla Hypnerotomachia Poliphili di Francesco Colonna stampata a Venezia nel 1499 da Aldo Manuzio (Milan: Franco Maria Ricci, 2002). This is the 3D reconstruction of the HP Russell, James Charles (2014) `Many Other Things Worthy of Knowledge and Memory’: The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili and its Annotators, 1499-1700, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/10757/ ↩

When James made his first $1 online he was intrigued and immediately jumped into the black hat world to find ways to get traffic to his offers and make a lot of money. In this episode, you'll how to quickly drive traffic to your website and how you can make money flipping websites.

Back Beat Boogie - Harry James and His "New" Jazz Band in 1956. When James scaled back his big band, he used his key sidemen (Nick Buono, Juan Tizol, Willie Smith, Herbie Steward, Larry Kinnamon, Foy Blanton, and Buddy Rich) to launch this interesting group. Never commercially recorded, these sides come from transcriptions for the USMC and feature vocals by Buddy Rich and Peggy King. Also, two bonus cuts of small groups from the James band of the mid-late 1940's featuring Willie Smith. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-clark49/support

BONUS EPISODE! What a delightful Christmas surprise for you, I'm sure. When James and I first launched the Lifefulness podcast we released the first 3 parts of a 6 part mini-series on the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness - this is part 4.We explore the pathway of personal growth and psychological maturity which is the part of all (to my knowledge) spiritual communities. How can you become the person that you want to be? How can you live a life in accordance with your values?In this podcast we explore the idea of personal growth from a spiritual, secular, personal, practical and scientific point of view. It's a wide ranging discussion which we hope familiarises you with this idea that we've been exploring throughout the podcast series.For those of you who are keeping track here are the 6 Pillars of Lifefulness:1) Ultimate Meaning.2) Celebration and Contemplation.3) Community Life.4) Personal Growth. 5) Serving Others.6) Changing the World.This is a bit of an experiment and we're interested to see how some short, sharp episodes go down so hit us up with your feedback. We love the interviews but there's also something really enjoyable about being able to drill down into the nuts and bolts of Lifefulness.Lifefulness Community There's loads of stuff going on in the Lifefulness Community but I'm a bit too tired to write it all up. Find out more yourself at these links.Lifefulness Small Groups - https://www.lifefulness.io/membershipLifefulness Courses - https://www.lifefulness.io/lifefulness-101 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

DescriptionThis week the guys start a 3 part review of 2020 by discussing what hasn’t worked as the year comes to a close. Tyler forgets to “knock on wood”, James is a “blue headed octopus”, Garret threatens to bring out a pillow”y” bulldozer, and Darin takes full credit for the finance department.  All of that and an Apple Watch discussion.Show Notes00:00:00 - Pre ShowPoo, Candles, and Mouse Farts. (What are things that happen when James wonders before the show?)00:02:15 - Show Start00:02:27 - Follow-Ups - Review of S01E05 (the second episode we’ll never speak of again)Darin’s GigglesSelf-rated as the BEST giggle on “radio”“Pure Face-hole Joy”EOS PoliceNo meeting needed - use the right terms please00:21:47 - The HeadlinesDarinTactical ToDo’s for Vision RockProduct Board ProgressProduction PerformanceTylerStarted the week rock-solid (forgot to “knock on wood”)Data, Data, DataYahtzee 4 LTMGarretLT LTM Update (still below a 4)Scorecard IDSRock Updates1 Complete6 “on track”Day 11 of “75 Hard” and maybe in a fitness challenge with James?Clicking things is hardJames’ version of headlinesAnger? Sadness? Feelings? - YesLost focus - Growth outpaced teamsAre we ending the year worse off than we started?Wants to blow up everything and take charge...kindaBulldozer feels...look out Infoplus!Pre-maturely self-directed (swinging the pendulum to far)00:45:14 - Topic 2 (1) What Didn’t / Isn’t Working as we Finish 2020A podcast about fun, adventure, and struggles (or just struggles last 5 months) of running a high tech startupJames rates the departments on our 1-5 scaleWhere are we now and what do we want to choose to change?“Throwing the baby out with the bathwater”Pillow”y” Garret appearanceBulldozer → Forward → Push → Tree → DownHiring, People, Job Posting, Interviews (see previous 2 episodes)A lot of “try harder” going onCTO Darin takes full credit for financeFalse dichotomy  - Points 2 through 7, sub-points A through ZLeadership Levers: Talk, Hire and Fire, Get InvolvedJames is a “Blue Headed Octopus”Garret’s silent head nods are podcast goldJames Exploring Options for solving issuesKey to any good solution = Yellow Legal PadsLots of Sad FacesTaking failure and declaring it success - a simple trickGarret’s angry appreciation01:14:53 - Questions and Long AnswersCan you describe your interview process?Interview Agenda (helps avoid ⅓ to ⅖ melting in James CEO interview)Can you make a suggestion for people in jobs not doing quad 1 and quad 2 work?When can we get Facilitator Ari on the show?When James has word vomit on Slack, what’s his audience?James’ Slack Word Vomit about S01E05 (with strategic use of ALL CAPS)Note: Cheap things are cheap and they feel cheap01:18:10 - End of Show If you’ve read this far you’ve experienced “easily the best part of the show”01:18:10 - Aftershow  Garret’s utilitarian use of an Apple Watch...and a sneaky humble brag

Merry Christmas

When James was hired at NetJets as their youngest pilot ever he thought he had made it, soon after the pilot group signed in a new contract offering him fantastic pay and benefits. James started looking for BMWs and other creative ways to spend his new windfall. Soon after James held another new record at NetJets...the youngest pilot to be furloughed.When faced with this adversity he found himself in one of the worst job climates of the past 20 years. Working tirelessly to find new opportunities taught him the skills and tactics necessary to achieve success in aviation. Out of this downturn, Raven Career Development was launched.What does it take to get a job in this depressed climate? How can aviators set themselves apart from the pack? Find out in this extended conversation with the founder of Raven Career Development.Timestamps:[03:25] What did the host of the 21.Five Podcast want me to ask James?[07:20] Listener comments and reviews! What does my boss think about what you have to say? [12:13] The advice James used to give to all of his clients... his 8th wonder of the world. [16:23] Should we be excited about Thanksgiving TSA numbers? [21:38] Airlines interviewing as soon as February? [22:59] Passenger enplanement shifts across the industry domestically.  What does it mean for you? [26:47] What shift in concern is James seeing on his clients? [30:32] What the heck is interview prep?[38:40] Interviews that stood out.[40:38] Networking to success.[47:25] Currency issues in underemployment.[50:00] Pilot success stories. [56:07] Do resumes hold value in 2020? [1:01:35] The value of being punched in the face. [1:07:30] What the heck does Raven Careers even do? www.RavenCareers.comPlease give us a 5-star review and leave a comment on Apple Podcasts!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raven-careers-aviation-podcast/id1533084162Follow along:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raven-career-developmentFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ravencareers/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RavenCareerDevelopment Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://ravencareers.com/get-alerts/Email us: podcast@ravencareers.com Hosted by Jason DuVernay, Raven CareersThe statements made in this show are our own opinions and do not reflect, nor were they under any direction of our employers. 

Real Estate Philosophy: What You Will Learn: James’ journey into the real estate business How James managed to get off of the hamster wheel and enjoy both the financial success and the freedoms that real estate has to offer How James’ real estate philosophy aligns with our philosophy at Pursuing Freedom, and how it has worked for him Why it is important to familiarize yourself with your process of failure as you plan out your goals What steps you can take to shatter your limiting beliefs and overcome your fears of success/failure The framework of James’ book, “RESUCCEED” What is Your Real Estate Philosophy? James Colburn is an agent with John L. Scott, a brokerage based in the Greater Seattle Area. He is also the author of the bestselling real estate book, “RESUCCEED.” James is with us today because his real estate philosophy is perfectly aligned with the values here at Pursuing Freedom. He shares his journey into the real estate business and explains his approach to planning, goal setting, and execution. Learn how to find a balance so your success doesn’t come at the expense of your freedom! Get off of the Hamster Wheel Your real estate philosophy determines how you approach every aspect of your business, so it needs to be something you believe in! This requires intention, planning, and consistency because it is something you live every single day. James first realized this when he hired a coach to get from 80 deals to 120. They came to a mutual agreement that James would not achieve his goal unless he was also able to slow down and savor his life at the same time! For many agents, slowing down to hit a large goal is counterintuitive, but you have to play the long game. What is the point of working 80 hours a week to hit your financial goals if you can’t enjoy the fruits of your labor anyway? Get off of the hamster wheel and make a plan that gives you both time and financial flexibility. Full Transparency We have talked a lot about visioning and planning, especially as we approach year-end and get ready for 2021. James opened my eyes to an entirely different side of that coin. In the Pursuing Freedom real estate philosophy, journaling plays a significant role in our ability to distill the goals in our heads and create a concrete plan to achieve them. But have you ever thought about what it would take to fall short of your goals? James stresses the importance of getting familiar with your process of failure, just as you would your process of success! Planning is an opportunity to clear the slate and be completely honest with yourself. Stop shoulding all over yourself, and get clear on what you need to do to hit your goals starting right now! About James Colburn James’s core commitment is to human potential. This driving force compelled him to write RESUCCEED. For James, he believes the purpose of life has all to do with avoiding the trap of survival success which offers little to no fulfillment, passion, and joy in life. James challenges a life of a purpose where we are moved to contribute beyond ourselves, to fully show up in our lives, and fully integrate our talents and skills with our purpose, our meaning, and what brings us joy. With over two decades of executive and entrepreneurial experience including nonprofit leadership and oversight, real estate investments, for-profit and nonprofit marketing design and implementation, and business development consulting, James offers a unique and refreshing approach to his work and all of our potential. His direct approach is centered in the practical and approachable for every day, already successful but real people looking for that edge, that area of improvement that dispels the myth that you have to sit alone on a mountaintop for 20 years to attain a life with purpose, fulfillment, and joy. James has a BS in Marketing/Management and a MA in International Care and Community Development. He is the Chairman-Elect of Family Lines, an organization that reaches families from all walks of life by recognizing the value of an involved, engaged, loving father. He and his wife, Maurita are members of the Medical Teams International Puget Sound Leadership Council, a global health organization that empowers communities to live full and healthy lives. James is also a Guest Lecturer at Northwest University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences speaking on Leadership and entrepreneurialism from a global context. As an accomplished Resucceed Coach, James works with successful, already achieved individuals seeking the fullness that a life with success can offer. James, his Wife Maurita, and his three children Eliot, Lucas, and Madeline live in Bothell, WA, a suburb of Greater Seattle. When James is not teaching, coaching, or writing he enjoys spending cherished moments with his family, enjoying sunsets in warm weather, or finding time to reflect and gain a new perspective on age-old challenges and problems of the human condition. How to Connect with James Colburn: Website: http://www.jamescolburn.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescolburn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamescolburnauthor/ Twitter: @james_colburn Balanced Growth Course: Website: https://pursuingfreedom.thinkific.com/courses/balanced-growth Additional Resources: Set for Success Planner Time Tracker 5-Step Guide to More Referrals Book Recommendations: RESUCCEED by: James Colburn

Today I'll talk about the difference between gourds and squash. We'll also celebrate the man whose philanthropy made the Arnold Arboretum possible. We’ll recognize the painter who said flowers made him paint freely. We salute the English author who gave us a lovely poem called The Garden Year. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a cookbook from two chefs who teach authentic, seasonal cooking with ingredients from your garden in the most delicious and perfect ways possible. And then we’ll wrap things up with the English naturalist who campaigned and won Green Spaces for England and her work lead to the National Trust.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy.   The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show and more. Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf.   Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org.   Curated News The Same Mobile Protein Governs Seed Size And Inflorescence Structure | Botany One | Hugh Dickinson   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community.   So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend… and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events December 3, 1492   On this day, Christopher Columbus noted in his diary: "I climbed a mountain and came to level ground, which was sown with many different crops and gourds." The gourds Columbus was referring to were actually squashes that were turned into utensils. Many people confuse gourds and squash. So here’s a little gourd and squash trivia to keep your knowledge of gourds and squash sharp. Gourds and squash are members of the Cucurbitaceae ("coo-kur-bi-TAY-see-ee") plant family, including over 700 species. Both squash and gourds are fruits because they are part of the flower that contains the seeds, and like grapes, they grow on a vine. The fruits of gourds, squashes, and pumpkins are berries known as a pepo (“pee-poh”). Loofahs are a type of gourd, and they come from the inside of a gourd. Pumpkin is a squash. And while most gourds are not suitable to eat, squash has a mild taste and is delicious. The main difference between summer squash and winter squash is how long they can be stored. Summer squashes are soft-skinned, they're harvested in the summer, and they need to be eaten quickly (i.e., zucchini and yellow crookneck squash). Winter squashes are hard-shelled squashes that can be stored for months (i.e., acorn squash). Here’s a little gourd joke: What vegetable keeps your garden safe? A security gourd. Lastly, if you enjoy puns, gourd puns abound on the internet, and they are truly the worst puns. "You’d butternut forget to grow gourds… because they’re ‘gourd’geous!"   December 3, 1868 Today is the anniversary of the death of the wealthy businessman, philanthropist, and botanist James Arnold. James is the namesake for Harvard's Arnold Arboretum - the very first arboretum in the United States. James was born to a Quaker family in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1807, James married Sarah Rotch. Had James not married Sarah, there would have probably never been an Arnold Arboretum. Sarah's father was part of an exceptionally wealthy whaling family, and James eventually became a partner in his father-in-law's business. James used his wealth to buy an 11-acre estate in New Bedford, Massachusetts. As Quakers, James, and Sarah focused less on making their home ostentatious and more on developing their gardens. Together James and Sarah searched for interesting plants and trees for their home gardens during their many trips to Europe. And history tells us that the Arnold property was so stunning that the gardens were open to the public on Sundays. In 1857, even the writer Herman Melville visited the garden. The Unitarian minister, William Potter, called the Arnold estate, "...the most conspicuous among all our homes for culture, for hospitality, for charity." As both James and Sarah loved gardening and plants, their friends included many naturalists of their time: John James Audubon, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Bronson Alcott (Louisa May Alcott’s father). When James died in 1868, as part of his will, he left $100,000 in the hands of three trustees: Francis Parker, John James Dixwell, and George Emerson. Emerson and Dixwell personally knew Asa Gray at Harvard, and they also knew that Harvard needed a Botanic Garden. James Arnold’s trustees included a bodacious mission for the Arboretum: to collect every kind of tree and shrub that would grow outdoors in Massachusetts. By 1873, Charles Sprague Sargent was hired to be the director of the Arnold Arboretum - a position he would hold for over four decades. And James Arnold’s gift and Charles Sprague Sargent’s leadership created the world-class arboretum we enjoy today.   December 3, 1919 Today is the anniversary of the death of the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Pierre-Auguste Renoir said, when he was painting flowers, he was able to paint, “freely and boldly without the mental effort, he made with a model.” He also said, “If you paint the leaf on a tree without using a model, your imagination will only supply you with a few leaves… But nature offers you millions, all on the same tree. … The artist who paints only what is in his mind must very soon repeat himself.” It was Renoir who said, “What seems most significant to me about [Impressionism] is that we have freed painting from the importance of the subject. I am at liberty to paint flowers and call them flowers, without their needing to tell a story.” And speaking of stories, there's a little-known story about Renoir. For many years, he hung a sign on his garden gate which read, "No Renoirs sold here. Beware the dog."   Unearthed Words January brings the snow, Makes our feet and fingers glow. February brings the rain, Thaws the frozen lake again. March brings breezes, loud and shrill, To stir the dancing daffodil. April brings the primrose sweet, Scatters daisies at our feet. May brings flocks of pretty lambs Skipping by their fleecy dams. June brings tulips, lilies, roses, Fills the children’s hands with posies. Hot July brings cooling showers, Apricots and gillyflowers. August brings the sheaves of corn, Then the harvest home is borne. Warm September brings the fruit; Sportsmen then begin to shoot. Fresh October brings the pheasant; Then to gather nuts is pleasant. Dull November brings the blast; Then the leaves are whirling fast. Chill December brings the sleet, Blazing fire and Christmas treat. — Sara Coleridge, English author, The Garden Year   Grow That Garden Library Earth to Table by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann This book came out in 2018, and the subtitle is Cooking with Good Ingredients Through the Seasons. In this book, Slow Food advocates and accomplished chefs Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann create approachable everyday recipes with the garden harvest. This book was a 2018 Winner for Excellence in Book Design - which is a feature that readers will notice right away when they get this cookbook. By advocating for a seasonal approach to cooking, Jeff and Bettina show you how to seek out the freshest ingredients for your prep table and dining table. Earth to Table Every Day features 140 wholesome, effortless, everyday recipes. I love Jeff and Bettina’s cookbook because they infuse their book with brilliant stories and gorgeous photography that makes their recipes compelling and memorable. My favorites include Arugula and Fennel Salad, Mushroom Tarts, Creamy Hummus with Fried Chickpeas, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Apple Bacon Pizza, Rhubarb Upside Down Cake, Chocolate Brownies, and Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake. This book is 288 pages of authentic, seasonal cooking from two chefs dedicated to making and using ingredients from the garden in the most delicious and perfect ways possible. You can get a copy of Earth to Table by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $18   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart December 3, 1838 Today is the birthday of the English activist, conservationist, and naturalist Octavia Hill. From the time she was 13 years old, Octavia worked to make life better for the working class. As Octavia matured, she crystalized her advocacy. And one of Octavia’s most passionate causes was getting access to nature for all of the folks living in large cities like London. Historical records tell us that Octavia was a small woman, she didn’t care a lick for fashion, and she had beautiful brown eyes. She was also an exceptional speaker and persuasive advocate, as is evident by a comment the Bishop of London made after meeting with Octavia, "She spoke for half an hour … I never had such a beating in all my life." In 1884, Octavia's sister and fellow activist Miranda Hill remarked, “It has come to the point when two peers and a cabinet minister call and consult her in one week.” Octavia’s work to save green spaces throughout England led to the establishment of the National Trust. It was Octavia Hill who said, “The need of quiet, the need of air, the need of exercise, and, I believe, the sight of sky and of things growing, are human needs, common to all…” And finally, gardeners will chuckle at this little passage from a letter Octavia wrote to her sister, Gertrude, on October 22, 1852: “Oh, Gertrude! I am so happy, so very very happy. I wish you were with me. You would so love all my beautiful things... I have a little room, all to myself. When anything is wrong or unjust downstairs, I have only to come up into my own little room, and it is so still... I usually have some flowers, for the ladies are very kind in bringing me them. I have a few poor little plants that I am fond of. Then I have eleven dear little snails. They are such darlings.”   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Last week, Ash Prasad and I discussed the need for safe workspaces. This week I covered similar themes with Joy Fowler, diversity & inclusion program manager at the Port of Portland. I met Joy 20+ years ago after we both gave birth to 24-weeker preemies. We volunteered together on Legacy Emanuel’s NICU Family Advisory Board. After Amir passed away in 2012, Joy and her husband Allen founded A MIRacle Foundation, Inc. to help special needs children. A native New Yorker, Joy moved to Portland and got married after college. She had her son James after that. When she got divorced, her mom tried to lure her back to New York, but Joy had made friends and connected with the Zeta Sigma Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Joy met Allen in a group of Portland transplants. When James was seven, Joy got pregnant. She started spotting and got put on bedrest. By 24 weeks, she knew something was not right. On September 14, 1998, Amir was born weighing 786 grams. One word to describe Amir during his NICU stay of 105 days: FEISTY! Unfortunately, at a year and a half, Amir had his first seizure. Six months later, it happened again. The next one lasted for six hours. As he grew, the seizures kept coming. Amir wasn’t learning how to walk or talk as well as he should and he was in a wheelchair by kindergarten. Before Amir passed away, they learned he had a rare degenerative disorder. “We couldn’t have asked for a better, more determined, more driven little person than him.”Caring for a special needs child is expensive. That’s partially why they started the foundation, to help other families. “...The day he passed away, it hit me. I just knew I had to help other children.”They chose to honor Amir’s memory by starting A MIRacle Foundation, Inc., one of the most healing experiences Joy has ever had. They support 2,500 medically fragile children with home hospital beds, adaptive seating, wheelchairs, walkers, and supplies.We switched gears to talk about Black Lives Matter. Joy has to be mindful that some people are coming to work traumatized, while others are trying to learn. She was glad the Port of Portland police asked to start having conversations. Working with the Alliance of Black Employees, they started weekly “conscious conversations” and have had 100-200 people participate. Joy decided to leave banking after 34 years. She feels lucky to have found a place that feels like home. She feels a complete freedom at the Port of Portland. “It’s been one of the most liberating, eye-opening experiences.”She gets to be her authentic self every day. She feels supported, and that has improved her health because this kind of work is hard, especially as a woman of color. We talked about what it was like when she first started in banking. The sexism and racism took her aback. She’d make excuses, thinking, “they didn’t really mean it like that.” She overlooked a lot to get ahead. “I will not cover any more, because it can affect your health...it’s too much to bear.”“Joy just shows up as Joy. I will never go back now that I’ve had a taste of how it makes me feel.”"Amir taught me about love, compassion, understanding, meeting people where they’re at, leading with love, and allowing me to speak to people at multiple ends of the DEI spectrum...raising him and losing him taught me so much.”Next week I interview my friend Jasnam Daya Singh, a concert and jazz pianist and brilliant composer. He is also a Sikh. Jasnam is one of the kindest, most gentle people I know.

James says one of the most difficult things he’s ever had to do in his life was call his Momma and tell her he was arrested in Monticello, Florida. In episode 3 we talk about the fallout from his arrest, and the impact it had on his family. We also cover the grim realities of all that he was facing… The Media, Other Inmates, The C.O.’s, and more. When James has the opportunity now to talk to young people on the wrong path, he always tells them that when you go to Prison, you take your family with you… Tune in to Episode 3 “Aftermath” for more. We are telling the Team Jones Story chronologically… the good, the bad, and all the juicy details. (Apple & Spotify Podcasts) Stay tuned and follow us on our Website (teamjones.co/podcast/), Facebook, & Instagram! Look up “Straight Outta Prison Podcast”

Fate of Fortune - Gaston Means Part #2 If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of Fate of Fortune, please do  before you continue with this episode! It will make so much more sense, I promise!  Hey there! Welcome to Little Crimes on the Prairie… I don’t think I have any business to blab about today - It’s been like 2 days since Part 1 came out, so no new business today! We get to just dive right back in! So we’ll recap Part 1 a bit…  We learned a little about James King and his self made millions. I’m not going to say he never took advantage of anyone, but there is a clear cut contrast if you look back at the 20 year old versions of them. When James was 20 he left Vermont for Illinois, both parents already deceased and $270 to build his life on.  When Gaston was 20 he was gearing up to drop out of the University of North Carolina, and take a job his father got him. Gaston manipulated people and things, James seemed to be honestly familiar with serendipity.  When James lost his first wife Sarah he remained single for over 10 years and seemed to enjoy himself and everything around him. He eventually met 28 year old Maude Robinson and married her. Although, not exactly chomping at the bit, he first had her sign a prenup. He died in 1905 (I’d like to see his death certificate, even though nothing suspicious about that has been raised) Later, in court to contest James’ will, Maude claimed that the marriage wasn’t consummated until he showed that he added her to his will. Which he did, she was to receive $100,000 upon his death and he’d already given her $200,000. So $300,000 for some 1900’s booty, seems a little steep.   Northern Trust settled with Maude for a million bucks, and she heads to Europe to waste some of her hard earned money.  Eventually, Maude’s sister Mazie hired Gaston Means to help look after Maude’s affairs and money. In just 2 years Gaston had lost her fortune in stocks, and decided what everyone needed was a trip to his hometown, for some good ol’ southern hospitality and rabbit huntin’...  Gaston’s family played host to a grand ol time. Maude even planned a good ol fashioned BBQ wishing to invite the whole town!  Gaston was sure to get Maude a new pistol, becuse she didn’t care for the one she was using. She’d never had an inclination to hunt anything prior and Maude’s mother Ana testified that Maude was scared of guns and had refused to ever touch one. Not that it really matters, because during some moonlight target practice Maude get’s dead in the most totally believable, not at all predictable gun accident.  Could happen to anyone in a remote area, shooting targets in the dark, with the person who manages your entire life and has nothing to gain by you totally shooting yourself…. Accidentally, though. Behind the left ear. With a Colt .25. With a palm pressure safety…. Well, the “jury” for the inquest in Concord agreed with Gaston. Immediately following the “inquest” Means, Mazie and the undertaker hightailed it back to Chicago to get her in the ground.     Word made the rounds to NYC and Chicago about the suspicious circumstances, and Maude was exhumed and re examined by a pathologist. Wouldn’t you know it, he determined her death to be a homicide!   Murder charge looming in his home county, the world learned about a second will of James King! WHAT?!? Ya don’t say?? This will Gaston claimed to have found in mid August of 1915, and with Maude totally aware of this new will, Gaston set off to have it verified by experts for 2 years!!  Apparently the Violet King had a literal last minute change of heart. Screw the old men’s home and the rest; it should all go to Maude it said.   Conveniently, witnessed by Mazie Melvin herself, her husband and the president of Northern Trust (who held James King’s estate in trust) Byron Smith.. Of the 3 witnesses only Mazie was still living. Talk about bad luck huh??...

144:0.1 (1617.1) SEPTEMBER and October were spent in retirement at a secluded camp upon the slopes of Mount Gilboa. The month of September Jesus spent here alone with his apostles, teaching and instructing them in the truths of the kingdom. 144:0.2 (1617.2) There were a number of reasons why Jesus and his apostles were in retirement at this time on the borders of Samaria and the Decapolis. The Jerusalem religious rulers were very antagonistic; Herod Antipas still held John in prison, fearing either to release or execute him, while he continued to entertain suspicions that John and Jesus were in some way associated. These conditions made it unwise to plan for aggressive work in either Judea or Galilee. There was a third reason: the slowly augmenting tension between the leaders of John’s disciples and the apostles of Jesus, which grew worse with the increasing number of believers. 144:0.3 (1617.3) Jesus knew that the days of the preliminary work of teaching and preaching were about over, that the next move involved the beginning of the full and final effort of his life on earth, and he did not wish the launching of this undertaking to be in any manner either trying or embarrassing to John the Baptist. Jesus had therefore decided to spend some time in retirement rehearsing his apostles and then to do some quiet work in the cities of the Decapolis until John should be either executed or released to join them in a united effort. 1. The Gilboa Encampment 144:1.1 (1617.4) As time passed, the twelve became more devoted to Jesus and increasingly committed to the work of the kingdom. Their devotion was in large part a matter of personal loyalty. They did not grasp his many-sided teaching; they did not fully comprehend the nature of Jesus or the significance of his bestowal on earth. 144:1.2 (1617.5) Jesus made it plain to his apostles that they were in retirement for three reasons: 144:1.3 (1617.6) 1. To confirm their understanding of, and faith in, the gospel of the kingdom. 144:1.4 (1617.7) 2. To allow opposition to their work in both Judea and Galilee to quiet down. 144:1.5 (1617.8) 3. To await the fate of John the Baptist. 144:1.6 (1617.9) While tarrying on Gilboa, Jesus told the twelve much about his early life and his experiences on Mount Hermon; he also revealed something of what happened in the hills during the forty days immediately after his baptism. And he directly charged them that they should tell no man about these experiences until after he had returned to the Father. 144:1.7 (1618.1) During these September weeks they rested, visited, recounted their experiences since Jesus first called them to service, and engaged in an earnest effort to co-ordinate what the Master had so far taught them. In a measure they all sensed that this would be their last opportunity for prolonged rest. They realized that their next public effort in either Judea or Galilee would mark the beginning of the final proclamation of the coming kingdom, but they had little or no settled idea as to what the kingdom would be when it came. John and Andrew thought the kingdom had already come; Peter and James believed that it was yet to come; Nathaniel and Thomas frankly confessed they were puzzled; Matthew, Philip, and Simon Zelotes were uncertain and confused; the twins were blissfully ignorant of the controversy; and Judas Iscariot was silent, noncommittal. 144:1.8 (1618.2) Much of this time Jesus was alone on the mountain near the camp. Occasionally he took with him Peter, James, or John, but more often he went off to pray or commune alone. Subsequent to the baptism of Jesus and the forty days in the Perean hills, it is hardly proper to speak of these seasons of communion with his Father as prayer, nor is it consistent to speak of Jesus as worshiping, but it is altogether correct to allude to these seasons as personal communion with his Father. 144:1.9 (1618.3) The central theme of the discussions throughout the entire month of September was prayer and worship. After they had discussed worship for some days, Jesus finally delivered his memorable discourse on prayer in answer to Thomas’s request: “Master, teach us how to pray.” 144:1.10 (1618.4) John had taught his disciples a prayer, a prayer for salvation in the coming kingdom. Although Jesus never forbade his followers to use John’s form of prayer, the apostles very early perceived that their Master did not fully approve of the practice of uttering set and formal prayers. Nevertheless, believers constantly requested to be taught how to pray. The twelve longed to know what form of petition Jesus would approve. And it was chiefly because of this need for some simple petition for the common people that Jesus at this time consented, in answer to Thomas’s request, to teach them a suggestive form of prayer. Jesus gave this lesson one afternoon in the third week of their sojourn on Mount Gilboa. 2. The Discourse on Prayer 144:2.1 (1618.5) “John indeed taught you a simple form of prayer: ‘O Father, cleanse us from sin, show us your glory, reveal your love, and let your spirit sanctify our hearts forevermore, Amen!’ He taught this prayer that you might have something to teach the multitude. He did not intend that you should use such a set and formal petition as the expression of your own souls in prayer. 144:2.2 (1618.6) “Prayer is entirely a personal and spontaneous expression of the attitude of the soul toward the spirit; prayer should be the communion of sonship and the expression of fellowship. Prayer, when indited by the spirit, leads to co-operative spiritual progress. The ideal prayer is a form of spiritual communion which leads to intelligent worship. True praying is the sincere attitude of reaching heavenward for the attainment of your ideals. 144:2.3 (1619.1) “Prayer is the breath of the soul and should lead you to be persistent in your attempt to ascertain the Father’s will. If any one of you has a neighbor, and you go to him at midnight and say: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine on a journey has come to see me, and I have nothing to set before him’; and if your neighbor answers, ‘Trouble me not, for the door is now shut and the children and I are in bed; therefore I cannot rise and give you bread,’ you will persist, explaining that your friend hungers, and that you have no food to offer him. I say to you, though your neighbor will not rise and give you bread because he is your friend, yet because of your importunity he will get up and give you as many loaves as you need. If, then, persistence will win favors even from mortal man, how much more will your persistence in the spirit win the bread of life for you from the willing hands of the Father in heaven. Again I say to you: Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For every one who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door of salvation will be opened. 144:2.4 (1619.2) “Which of you who is a father, if his son asks unwisely, would hesitate to give in accordance with parental wisdom rather than in the terms of the son’s faulty petition? If the child needs a loaf, will you give him a stone just because he unwisely asks for it? If your son needs a fish, will you give him a watersnake just because it may chance to come up in the net with the fish and the child foolishly asks for the serpent? If you, then, being mortal and finite, know how to answer prayer and give good and appropriate gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the spirit and many additional blessings to those who ask him? Men ought always to pray and not become discouraged. 144:2.5 (1619.3) “Let me tell you the story of a certain judge who lived in a wicked city. This judge feared not God nor had respect for man. Now there was a needy widow in that city who came repeatedly to this unjust judge, saying, ‘Protect me from my adversary.’ For some time he would not give ear to her, but presently he said to himself: ‘Though I fear not God nor have regard for man, yet because this widow ceases not to trouble me, I will vindicate her lest she wear me out by her continual coming.’ These stories I tell you to encourage you to persist in praying and not to intimate that your petitions will change the just and righteous Father above. Your persistence, however, is not to win favor with God but to change your earth attitude and to enlarge your soul’s capacity for spirit receptivity. 144:2.6 (1619.4) “But when you pray, you exercise so little faith. Genuine faith will remove mountains of material difficulty which may chance to lie in the path of soul expansion and spiritual progress.” 3. The Believer’s Prayer 144:3.1 (1619.5) But the apostles were not yet satisfied; they desired Jesus to give them a model prayer which they could teach the new disciples. After listening to this discourse on prayer, James Zebedee said: “Very good, Master, but we do not desire a form of prayer for ourselves so much as for the newer believers who so frequently beseech us, ‘Teach us how acceptably to pray to the Father in heaven.’” 144:3.2 (1619.6) When James had finished speaking, Jesus said: “If, then, you still desire such a prayer, I would present the one which I taught my brothers and sisters in Nazareth”: 144:3.3 (1620.1) Our Father who is in heaven, 144:3.4 (1620.2) Hallowed be your name. 144:3.5 (1620.3) Your kingdom come; your will be done 144:3.6 (1620.4) On earth as it is in heaven. 144:3.7 (1620.5) Give us this day our bread for tomorrow; 144:3.8 (1620.6) Refresh our souls with the water of life. 144:3.9 (1620.7) And forgive us every one our debts 144:3.10 (1620.8) As we also have forgiven our debtors. 144:3.11 (1620.9) Save us in temptation, deliver us from evil, 144:3.12 (1620.10) And increasingly make us perfect like yourself. 144:3.13 (1620.11) It is not strange that the apostles desired Jesus to teach them a model prayer for believers. John the Baptist had taught his followers several prayers; all great teachers had formulated prayers for their pupils. The religious teachers of the Jews had some twenty-five or thirty set prayers which they recited in the synagogues and even on the street corners. Jesus was particularly averse to praying in public. Up to this time the twelve had heard him pray only a few times. They observed him spending entire nights at prayer or worship, and they were very curious to know the manner or form of his petitions. They were really hard pressed to know what to answer the multitudes when they asked to be taught how to pray as John had taught his disciples. 144:3.14 (1620.12) Jesus taught the twelve always to pray in secret; to go off by themselves amidst the quiet surroundings of nature or to go in their rooms and shut the doors when they engaged in prayer. 144:3.15 (1620.13) After Jesus’ death and ascension to the Father it became the practice of many believers to finish this so-called Lord’s prayer by the addition of—“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Still later on, two lines were lost in copying, and there was added to this prayer an extra clause, reading: “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forevermore.” 144:3.16 (1620.14) Jesus gave the apostles the prayer in collective form as they had prayed it in the Nazareth home. He never taught a formal personal prayer, only group, family, or social petitions. And he never volunteered to do that. 144:3.17 (1620.15) Jesus taught that effective prayer must be: 144:3.18 (1620.16) 1. Unselfish—not alone for oneself. 144:3.19 (1620.17) 2. Believing—according to faith. 144:3.20 (1620.18) 3. Sincere—honest of heart. 144:3.21 (1620.19) 4. Intelligent—according to light. 144:3.22 (1620.20) 5. Trustful—in submission to the Father’s all-wise will. 144:3.23 (1620.21) When Jesus spent whole nights on the mountain in prayer, it was mainly for his disciples, particularly for the twelve. The Master prayed very little for himself, although he engaged in much worship of the nature of understanding communion with his Paradise Father. 4. More About Prayer 144:4.1 (1620.22) For days after the discourse on prayer the apostles continued to ask the Master questions regarding this all-important and worshipful practice. Jesus’ instruction to the apostles during these days, regarding prayer and worship, may be summarized and restated in modern phraseology as follows: 144:4.2 (1621.1) The earnest and longing repetition of any petition, when such a prayer is the sincere expression of a child of God and is uttered in faith, no matter how ill-advised or impossible of direct answer, never fails to expand the soul’s capacity for spiritual receptivity. 144:4.3 (1621.2) In all praying, remember that sonship is a gift. No child has aught to do with earning the status of son or daughter. The earth child comes into being by the will of its parents. Even so, the child of God comes into grace and the new life of the spirit by the will of the Father in heaven. Therefore must the kingdom of heaven—divine sonship—be received as by a little child. You earn righteousness—progressive character development—but you receive sonship by grace and through faith. 144:4.4 (1621.3) Prayer led Jesus up to the supercommunion of his soul with the Supreme Rulers of the universe of universes. Prayer will lead the mortals of earth up to the communion of true worship. The soul’s spiritual capacity for receptivity determines the quantity of heavenly blessings which can be personally appropriated and consciously realized as an answer to prayer. 144:4.5 (1621.4) Prayer and its associated worship is a technique of detachment from the daily routine of life, from the monotonous grind of material existence. It is an avenue of approach to spiritualized self-realization and individuality of intellectual and religious attainment. 144:4.6 (1621.5) Prayer is an antidote for harmful introspection. At least, prayer as the Master taught it is such a beneficent ministry to the soul. Jesus consistently employed the beneficial influence of praying for one’s fellows. The Master usually prayed in the plural, not in the singular. Only in the great crises of his earth life did Jesus ever pray for himself. 144:4.7 (1621.6) Prayer is the breath of the spirit life in the midst of the material civilization of the races of mankind. Worship is salvation for the pleasure-seeking generations of mortals. 144:4.8 (1621.7) As prayer may be likened to recharging the spiritual batteries of the soul, so worship may be compared to the act of tuning in the soul to catch the universe broadcasts of the infinite spirit of the Universal Father. 144:4.9 (1621.8) Prayer is the sincere and longing look of the child to its spirit Father; it is a psychologic process of exchanging the human will for the divine will. Prayer is a part of the divine plan for making over that which is into that which ought to be. 144:4.10 (1621.9) One of the reasons why Peter, James, and John, who so often accompanied Jesus on his long night vigils, never heard Jesus pray, was because their Master so rarely uttered his prayers as spoken words. Practically all of Jesus’ praying was done in the spirit and in the heart—silently. 144:4.11 (1621.10) Of all the apostles, Peter and James came the nearest to comprehending the Master’s teaching about prayer and worship. 5. Other Forms of Prayer 144:5.1 (1621.11) From time to time, during the remainder of Jesus’ sojourn on earth, he brought to the notice of the apostles several additional forms of prayer, but he did this only in illustration of other matters, and he enjoined that these “parable prayers” should not be taught to the multitudes. Many of them were from other inhabited planets, but this fact Jesus did not reveal to the twelve. Among these prayers were the following: 144:5.2 (1622.1) Our Father in whom consist the universe realms, 144:5.3 (1622.2) Uplifted be your name and all-glorious your character. 144:5.4 (1622.3) Your presence encompasses us, and your glory is manifested 144:5.5 (1622.4) Imperfectly through us as it is in perfection shown on high. 144:5.6 (1622.5) Give us this day the vivifying forces of light, 144:5.7 (1622.6) And let us not stray into the evil bypaths of our imagination, 144:5.8 (1622.7) For yours is the glorious indwelling, the everlasting power, 144:5.9 (1622.8) And to us, the eternal gift of the infinite love of your Son. 144:5.10 (1622.9) Even so, and everlastingly true. * * * 144:5.12 (1622.10) Our creative Parent, who is in the center of the universe, 144:5.13 (1622.11) Bestow upon us your nature and give to us your character. 144:5.14 (1622.12) Make us sons and daughters of yours by grace 144:5.15 (1622.13) And glorify your name through our eternal achievement. 144:5.16 (1622.14) Your adjusting and controlling spirit give to live and dwell within us 144:5.17 (1622.15) That we may do your will on this sphere as angels do your bidding in light. 144:5.18 (1622.16) Sustain us this day in our progress along the path of truth. 144:5.19 (1622.17) Deliver us from inertia, evil, and all sinful transgression. 144:5.20 (1622.18) Be patient with us as we show loving-kindness to our fellows. 144:5.21 (1622.19) Shed abroad the spirit of your mercy in our creature hearts. 144:5.22 (1622.20) Lead us by your own hand, step by step, through the uncertain maze of life, 144:5.23 (1622.21) And when our end shall come, receive into your own bosom our faithful spirits. 144:5.24 (1622.22) Even so, not our desires but your will be done. * * * 144:5.26 (1622.23) Our perfect and righteous heavenly Father, 144:5.27 (1622.24) This day guide and direct our journey. 144:5.28 (1622.25) Sanctify our steps and co-ordinate our thoughts. 144:5.29 (1622.26) Ever lead us in the ways of eternal progress. 144:5.30 (1622.27) Fill us with wisdom to the fullness of power 144:5.31 (1622.28) And vitalize us with your infinite energy. 144:5.32 (1622.29) Inspire us with the divine consciousness of 144:5.33 (1622.30) The presence and guidance of the seraphic hosts. 144:5.34 (1622.31) Guide us ever upward in the pathway of light; 144:5.35 (1622.32) Justify us fully in the day of the great judgment. 144:5.36 (1622.33) Make us like yourself in eternal glory 144:5.37 (1622.34) And receive us into your endless service on high. * * * 144:5.39 (1622.35) Our Father who is in the mystery, 144:5.40 (1622.36) Reveal to us your holy character. 144:5.41 (1622.37) Give your children on earth this day 144:5.42 (1622.38) To see the way, the light, and the truth. 144:5.43 (1622.39) Show us the pathway of eternal progress 144:5.44 (1622.40) And give us the will to walk therein. 144:5.45 (1622.41) Establish within us your divine kingship 144:5.46 (1622.42) And thereby bestow upon us the full mastery of self. 144:5.47 (1622.43) Let us not stray into paths of darkness and death; 144:5.48 (1622.44) Lead us everlastingly beside the waters of life. 144:5.49 (1622.45) Hear these our prayers for your own sake; 144:5.50 (1622.46) Be pleased to make us more and more like yourself. 144:5.51 (1623.1) At the end, for the sake of the divine Son, 144:5.52 (1623.2) Receive us into the eternal arms. 144:5.53 (1623.3) Even so, not our will but yours be done. * * * 144:5.55 (1623.4) Glorious Father and Mother, in one parent combined, 144:5.56 (1623.5) Loyal would we be to your divine nature. 144:5.57 (1623.6) Your own self to live again in and through us 144:5.58 (1623.7) By the gift and bestowal of your divine spirit, 144:5.59 (1623.8) Thus reproducing you imperfectly in this sphere 144:5.60 (1623.9) As you are perfectly and majestically shown on high. 144:5.61 (1623.10) Give us day by day your sweet ministry of brotherhood 144:5.62 (1623.11) And lead us moment by moment in the pathway of loving service. 144:5.63 (1623.12) Be you ever and unfailingly patient with us 144:5.64 (1623.13) Even as we show forth your patience to our children. 144:5.65 (1623.14) Give us the divine wisdom that does all things well 144:5.66 (1623.15) And the infinite love that is gracious to every creature. 144:5.67 (1623.16) Bestow upon us your patience and loving-kindness 144:5.68 (1623.17) That our charity may enfold the weak of the realm. 144:5.69 (1623.18) And when our career is finished, make it an honor to your name, 144:5.70 (1623.19) A pleasure to your good spirit, and a satisfaction to our soul helpers. 144:5.71 (1623.20) Not as we wish, our loving Father, but as you desire the eternal good of your mortal children, 144:5.72 (1623.21) Even so may it be. * * * 144:5.74 (1623.22) Our all-faithful Source and all-powerful Center, 144:5.75 (1623.23) Reverent and holy be the name of your all-gracious Son. 144:5.76 (1623.24) Your bounties and your blessings have descended upon us, 144:5.77 (1623.25) Thus empowering us to perform your will and execute your bidding. 144:5.78 (1623.26) Give us moment by moment the sustenance of the tree of life; 144:5.79 (1623.27) Refresh us day by day with the living waters of the river thereof. 144:5.80 (1623.28) Step by step lead us out of darkness and into the divine light. 144:5.81 (1623.29) Renew our minds by the transformations of the indwelling spirit, 144:5.82 (1623.30) And when the mortal end shall finally come upon us, 144:5.83 (1623.31) Receive us to yourself and send us forth in eternity. 144:5.84 (1623.32) Crown us with celestial diadems of fruitful service, 144:5.85 (1623.33) And we shall glorify the Father, the Son, and the Holy Influence. 144:5.86 (1623.34) Even so, throughout a universe without end. * * * 144:5.88 (1623.35) Our Father who dwells in the secret places of the universe, 144:5.89 (1623.36) Honored be your name, reverenced your mercy, and respected your judgment. 144:5.90 (1623.37) Let the sun of righteousness shine upon us at noontime, 144:5.91 (1623.38) While we beseech you to guide our wayward steps in the twilight. 144:5.92 (1623.39) Lead us by the hand in the ways of your own choosing 144:5.93 (1623.40) And forsake us not when the path is hard and the hours are dark. 144:5.94 (1623.41) Forget us not as we so often neglect and forget you. 144:5.95 (1623.42) But be you merciful and love us as we desire to love you. 144:5.96 (1623.43) Look down upon us in kindness and forgive us in mercy 144:5.97 (1623.44) As we in justice forgive those who distress and injure us. 144:5.98 (1624.1) May the love, devotion, and bestowal of the majestic Son 144:5.99 (1624.2) Make available life everlasting with your endless mercy and love. 144:5.100 (1624.3) May the God of universes bestow upon us the full measure of his spirit; 144:5.101 (1624.4) Give us grace to yield to the leading of this spirit. 144:5.102 (1624.5) By the loving ministry of devoted seraphic hosts 144:5.103 (1624.6) May the Son guide and lead us to the end of the age. 144:5.104 (1624.7) Make us ever and increasingly like yourself 144:5.105 (1624.8) And at our end receive us into the eternal Paradise embrace. 144:5.106 (1624.9) Even so, in the name of the bestowal Son 144:5.107 (1624.10) And for the honor and glory of the Supreme Father. 144:5.108 (1624.11) Though the apostles were not at liberty to present these prayer lessons in their public teachings, they profited much from all of these revelations in their personal religious experiences. Jesus utilized these and other prayer models as illustrations in connection with the intimate instruction of the twelve, and specific permission has been granted for transcribing these seven specimen prayers into this record. 6. Conference with John’s Apostles 144:6.1 (1624.12) Around the first of October, Philip and some of his fellow apostles were in a near-by village buying food when they met some of the apostles of John the Baptist. As a result of this chance meeting in the market place there came about a three weeks’ conference at the Gilboa camp between the apostles of Jesus and the apostles of John, for John had recently appointed twelve of his leaders to be apostles, following the precedent of Jesus. John had done this in response to the urging of Abner, the chief of his loyal supporters. Jesus was present at the Gilboa camp throughout the first week of this joint conference but absented himself the last two weeks. 144:6.2 (1624.13) By the beginning of the second week of this month, Abner had assembled all of his associates at the Gilboa camp and was prepared to go into council with the apostles of Jesus. For three weeks these twenty-four men were in session three times a day and for six days each week. The first week Jesus mingled with them between their forenoon, afternoon, and evening sessions. They wanted the Master to meet with them and preside over their joint deliberations, but he steadfastly refused to participate in their discussions, though he did consent to speak to them on three occasions. These talks by Jesus to the twenty-four were on sympathy, co-operation, and tolerance. 144:6.3 (1624.14) Andrew and Abner alternated in presiding over these joint meetings of the two apostolic groups. These men had many difficulties to discuss and numerous problems to solve. Again and again would they take their troubles to Jesus, only to hear him say: “I am concerned only with your personal and purely religious problems. I am the representative of the Father to the individual, not to the group. If you are in personal difficulty in your relations with God, come to me, and I will hear you and counsel you in the solution of your problem. But when you enter upon the co-ordination of divergent human interpretations of religious questions and upon the socialization of religion, you are destined to solve all such problems by your own decisions. Albeit, I am ever sympathetic and always interested, and when you arrive at your conclusions touching these matters of nonspiritual import, provided you are all agreed, then I pledge in advance my full approval and hearty co-operation. And now, in order to leave you unhampered in your deliberations, I am leaving you for two weeks. Be not anxious about me, for I will return to you. I will be about my Father’s business, for we have other realms besides this one.” 144:6.4 (1625.1) After thus speaking, Jesus went down the mountainside, and they saw him no more for two full weeks. And they never knew where he went or what he did during these days. It was some time before the twenty-four could settle down to the serious consideration of their problems, they were so disconcerted by the absence of the Master. However, within a week they were again in the heart of their discussions, and they could not go to Jesus for help. 144:6.5 (1625.2) The first item the group agreed upon was the adoption of the prayer which Jesus had so recently taught them. It was unanimously voted to accept this prayer as the one to be taught believers by both groups of apostles. 144:6.6 (1625.3) They next decided that, as long as John lived, whether in prison or out, both groups of twelve apostles would go on with their work, and that joint meetings for one week would be held every three months at places to be agreed upon from time to time. 144:6.7 (1625.4) But the most serious of all their problems was the question of baptism. Their difficulties were all the more aggravated because Jesus had refused to make any pronouncement upon the subject. They finally agreed: As long as John lived, or until they might jointly modify this decision, only the apostles of John would baptize believers, and only the apostles of Jesus would finally instruct the new disciples. Accordingly, from that time until after the death of John, two of the apostles of John accompanied Jesus and his apostles to baptize believers, for the joint council had unanimously voted that baptism was to become the initial step in the outward alliance with the affairs of the kingdom. 144:6.8 (1625.5) It was next agreed, in case of the death of John, that the apostles of John would present themselves to Jesus and become subject to his direction, and that they would baptize no more unless authorized by Jesus or his apostles. 144:6.9 (1625.6) And then was it voted that, in case of John’s death, the apostles of Jesus would begin to baptize with water as the emblem of the baptism of the divine Spirit. As to whether or not repentance should be attached to the preaching of baptism was left optional; no decision was made binding upon the group. John’s apostles preached, “Repent and be baptized.” Jesus’ apostles proclaimed, “Believe and be baptized.” 144:6.10 (1625.7) And this is the story of the first attempt of Jesus’ followers to co-ordinate divergent efforts, compose differences of opinion, organize group undertakings, legislate on outward observances, and socialize personal religious practices. 144:6.11 (1625.8) Many other minor matters were considered and their solutions unanimously agreed upon. These twenty-four men had a truly remarkable experience these two weeks when they were compelled to face problems and compose difficulties without Jesus. They learned to differ, to debate, to contend, to pray, and to compromise, and throughout it all to remain sympathetic with the other person’s viewpoint and to maintain at least some degree of tolerance for his honest opinions. 144:6.12 (1625.9) On the afternoon of their final discussion of financial questions, Jesus returned, heard of their deliberations, listened to their decisions, and said: “These, then, are your conclusions, and I shall help you each to carry out the spirit of your united decisions.” 144:6.13 (1626.1) Two months and a half from this time John was executed, and throughout this period the apostles of John remained with Jesus and the twelve. They all worked together and baptized believers during this season of labor in the cities of the Decapolis. The Gilboa camp was broken up on November 2, A.D. 27. 7. In the Decapolis Cities 144:7.1 (1626.2) Throughout the months of November and December, Jesus and the twenty-four worked quietly in the Greek cities of the Decapolis, chiefly in Scythopolis, Gerasa, Abila, and Gadara. This was really the end of that preliminary period of taking over John’s work and organization. Always does the socialized religion of a new revelation pay the price of compromise with the established forms and usages of the preceding religion which it seeks to salvage. Baptism was the price which the followers of Jesus paid in order to carry with them, as a socialized religious group, the followers of John the Baptist. John’s followers, in joining Jesus’ followers, gave up just about everything except water baptism. 144:7.2 (1626.3) Jesus did little public teaching on this mission to the cities of the Decapolis. He spent considerable time teaching the twenty-four and had many special sessions with John’s twelve apostles. In time they became more understanding as to why Jesus did not go to visit John in prison, and why he made no effort to secure his release. But they never could understand why Jesus did no marvelous works, why he refused to produce outward signs of his divine authority. Before coming to the Gilboa camp, they had believed in Jesus mostly because of John’s testimony, but soon they were beginning to believe as a result of their own contact with the Master and his teachings. 144:7.3 (1626.4) For these two months the group worked most of the time in pairs, one of Jesus’ apostles going out with one of John’s. The apostle of John baptized, the apostle of Jesus instructed, while they both preached the gospel of the kingdom as they understood it. And they won many souls among these gentiles and apostate Jews. 144:7.4 (1626.5) Abner, the chief of John’s apostles, became a devout believer in Jesus and was later on made the head of a group of seventy teachers whom the Master commissioned to preach the gospel. 8. In Camp Near Pella 144:8.1 (1626.6) The latter part of December they all went over near the Jordan, close by Pella, where they again began to teach and preach. Both Jews and gentiles came to this camp to hear the gospel. It was while Jesus was teaching the multitude one afternoon that some of John’s special friends brought the Master the last message which he ever had from the Baptist. ...

Aundray Edwards received his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of Houston. Aundray has been a percussion specialist/technician for several music programs in the Houston and surrounding areas, including Cypress Creek High School (winning PAS call for tapes) as well as Cy-Fair High School. Currently, Aundray resides in Lake Jackson, Tx where he is the Assistant Director of Percussion at Brazoswood High School and all feeder programs including Brazoswood High School, Clute Intermediate, and Rasco Middle School in Brazosport ISD. Aundray has served as one of the bass drum technicians for Monarch Independent since 2016. And this summer will be joining the percussion staff at Sacramento Mandarins as a bass drum technician. Aundray has also served on the percussion staff of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps ('17-'19) as well as the Guardians Drum & Bugle Corps ('15-'16). James Neblett is an active music educator, arranger, and clinician based in Pflugerville, Texas. During his tenure in the marching arts, he has worked with several Scholastic, Open, Collegiate, and World Class marching programs all around the state, and across the nation. Currently, James is a Bass Drum Ensemble Specialist for Monarch Independent (2017-Present), and Battery Ensemble Specialist for the state champion Vista Ridge Marching Band (2016-Present). James has over a decade of performance and teaching experience in the marching arts, having had the opportunity to march three summers with the Boston Crusaders (2008-2010), as well as teach numerous ensembles, including The Boston Crusaders (2014-2016) and The Blue Knights (2017-2018). When James isn't dedicating time to music education, he works full time as an Information Technology Systems Administrator for a local Healthcare company based out of the greater Austin area.

Background of the Book of JAMES: 1. Who: James, the Lord’s brother. Four men are named James in the NT: James, the father of Judas (not Iscariot); James, son of Alphaeus, called “James the less” and one of the disciples”; James, son of Zebedee and brother of John, one of Jesus’ intimate disciples but martyred around AD 44 (Acts 12:2); and James the Lord’s brother, the most likely to have written the epistle. He was among the believers awaiting the Spirit at Pentecost and a central figure in the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council. 2. When: James may have been the earliest writing in the New Testament, probably in 46-49 AD, especially since it does not mention anything of the Jerusalem Council of 49 AD 3. Whom: “The twelve tribes scattered abroad”, so Hebrew Christians scattered outside of Palestine, and expressions in the letter fit an originally Jewish leadership. 4. What: The characteristics of true faith. The purpose of the work is practical rather than doctrinal or apologetic as James challenges the believers to examine the quality of the daily lives in terms of their attitudes and actions. Genuine faith is expressed in our lives. 5. WHY: Faith without works is dead. The book seeks to awaken the believer to action, to be sure their sincere faith is expressed in all they do, in their daily, everyday lives.

Dan one is an OG tag writer from Los Angeles CA, MSK, and AWR. Topics: Michael Bisping, Made in LA vs Raised in LA, Baseball, Dodgers, Joe Rogan and Kanye West interview, First albums, James' Bowl cut, When James almost drown, Chow time with Sammy Larson.

- Season 2, Episode 18 -

Three action-packed years ago, James P. Friel and Dean Holland set out on a mission with one objective: Launch a fun, value-packed podcast full of cutting edge advice to help entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. The first few episodes of Just The Tips were rocky, as James and Dean, both podcast newbies, worked through the ins and outs and ups and downs of launching and growing a successful podcast. With three years of successful podcasting under their belts, you’d expect the guys’ podcasting experience to be smooth as silk. It’s definitely more efficient than it used to be, but technical fails and other issues still pop up, and do so for one unavoidable reason: Challenges are a part of life. If you want to get anywhere with anything, such as launch a product or grow your business, the ability to roll with the punches and find a way forward is a must. Yet an unfortunate number of people give up on their dreams when adversity swoops in. In this third anniversary episode, James and Dean reveal their top tips to keep going when your commitment to your dreams and goals is tested. Make no mistake: It will be tested. Not once, not twice, but over and over again. And each time, you’ll find yourself at a crossroads: Give up, or dig in your heels and keep going. If you want to be the person who digs in their heels and keeps going, check out this episode. Outline of This Episode What stops people from achieving their dreams [5:05] It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you’re doing [12:01] Accidental selfishness is holding you back [13:30] How to move beyond imposter syndrome [17:50] When to zip your and lip and listen [24:03] 3 major points discussed   Don’t know what you’re doing? You’ll learn! When James and Dean launched Just The Tips three years ago, they had no idea how to launch and grow a successful podcast. But they went for it anyway. Due diligence ahead of time is always a great idea, but some things you can only learn as you go. Waiting to move forward until everything is “perfect,” or until you finally feel qualified, means you’ll never move forward. You’re never going to feel fully qualified, and nothing will ever be “perfect.”   It’s not about you. There are people you can help NOW. By procrastinating, or even giving up on, your dreams, you’re depriving them of your help. Imagine if you called an ambulance because you were in excruciating pain, and when the EMTs arrived, they just stood outside and stared at you through your living room window. When you allow your own limiting beliefs to derail you, you’re doing to the people you could be helping what the EMTs did in this example scenario. Your message is too important for you to keep sitting on it!   What matters more than great products? Concern that your product’s no good is a giant roadblock for a lot of entrepreneurs. Yes, product quality is important, but there are ways you can ensure it’s a great product, and still get it into the world before hell freezes over. James and Dean share one must-do and one must-have for creating profitable products that get people results. Tune in to hear all the details.   Music for “Just The Tips” is titled, “Happy Happy Game Show” by Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Connect With James and Dean James P. Friel: CEO Quickstart: https://jamespfriel.com/ceo-quickstart/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hustledetox/ Facebook Group (BulletProof Business): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107362546297055/ Site: www.jamespfriel.com Interested in being a guest on the show? Dean Holland: Blog: www.DeanHolland.com FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/DeanHollandHQ Billion Dollar Project: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BillionDollarProject/ JTT Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/justthetipsshow/

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, James has spent a majority of his 20-year career as an entrepreneur in the digital media and advertising technology industries, leading sales and business development teams for four different companies, including Market Hardware, HomeAdvisor and Q1Media. James most recently founded Inwood Road Films in 2016 with his brother, John, with whom he has invested in and/or produced six independent films, including PLUS ONE, the 2019 Audience Award Winner for Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival, THE DARK AND THE WICKED from director Bryan Bertino of THE STRANGERS fame, and the upcoming BRICK HOUSE, a documentary about a pro women’s football team in Houston in the 1970’s. When James is not trying to make a movie, he’s biking down the beach, reading a book, immersed in a podcast, movie or tv show or hanging out with friends and family (in a physically distant manner, of course).

On September 26, 2018, in rural Rusk County, Texas, a Jeep was found in a single vehicle accident with no drivers or passengers in the area. Police called the registered owner of the vehicle, James Flint, who stated that the Jeep belonged to his wife, Kim Flint. James Flint also told the police that Kim rarely drove the Jeep. He was at work when the police called him so he drove home to check on his wife. When James arrived home, Kim was nowhere to be found. The area around Kim’s vehicle was searched thoroughly by multiple police agencies, dogs, drones, and other resources, but in the time since that day, no trace of Kim Flint has ever been found.If you have any information about the disappearance of Kim Flint, you are asked to call the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office at 903-657-3581. You can follow Kim’s story on social media at: Find Kim Flint.This episode was sponsored by:Function of Beauty- Go toFunctionofBeauty.com/VanishedPod to get 20% off your first order.

Eliminating the back row in education is not just a metaphor for James Kenigsberg, it's his personal mission. When James, the founding CTO of 2U inc., immigrated to America from the Soviet Union, he discovered technology could not only be a pathway to a career, but it could also be a conduit to scale anything that piqued his interests. On this episode of IT Visionaries, James discusses the journey that led him to 2U and the challenges of changing the online learning experience. 3 Key Takeaways 2U is an education platform that produces high-quality content in conjunction with Universities Online degrees had a bad perception and failed to replicate the educational experience Partnering with universities is a necessity to give credibility to classes and programs --- IT Visionaries is brought to you by the Salesforce Customer 360 Platform - the #1 cloud platform for digital transformation of every experience. Build connected experiences, empower every employee, and deliver continuous innovation - with the customer at the center of everything you do. Learn more at salesforce.com/platform

After suffering through a traumatic childhood, James Annitto found himself searching for answers. Answers as to why his life started the way it was, why would the world or God deal him such a negative hand. This quest for answers would begin his journey into a better understanding of his relationship with spirituality and life. Along this journey, he would begin to realize that sometimes the dead and the never-living have a deeper impact on our lives than may accept. This is the story of James’ initial search of answers for himself and eventually seeking answers for those afflicted by demons. PART 2 - AVAILABLE TO GRAVE KEEPERS ONLY - LISTEN HERE (http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks) In part two of our interview, available only to Grave Keepers (http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks) , we discuss: How did James decide he wanted to become a Demonologist and no longer just an investigator? What did James learn personally from demonologist Carl Johnson? What was one of the most challenging demonic cases that James encountered? When James works with Psychologists and Therapists on cases to help people, how does the mental health field view his work? Many people criticize the number of people who use the title of “Demonologist.” Does James feel it is overused or is the path be being a demonologist clearer than some make it out to be? As a Grave Keeper, for $5 per month you will get: Access to every episode (http://www.thegravetalks.com/category/podcast-episodes/) of our show, AD-FREE – MONTHS BEFORE THEY GO PUBLIC. Access to every EXCLUSIVE PART 2 episode of our show for Grave Keeper Only! Access to submit questions to upcoming guests of our show. The “good feeling” knowing that you are keeping this show alive (It really does feel good!) Listen to part two of this interview and get exclusive access to HUNDREDS of bonus episodes at http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

PART 2 - AVAILABLE TO GRAVE KEEPERS ONLY - LISTEN HERE (http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks) In part two of our interview, available only to Grave Keepers (http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks) , we discuss: How did James decide he wanted to become a Demonologist and no longer just an investigator? What did James learn personally from demonologist Carl Johnson? What was one of the most challenging demonic cases that James encountered? When James works with Psychologists and Therapists on cases to help people, how does the mental health field view his work? Many people criticize the number of people who use the title of “Demonologist.” Does James feel it is overused or is the path be being a demonologist clearer than some make it out to be? As a Grave Keeper, for $5 per month you will get: Access to every episode (http://www.thegravetalks.com/category/podcast-episodes/) of our show, AD-FREE – MONTHS BEFORE THEY GO PUBLIC. Access to every EXCLUSIVE PART 2 episode of our show for Grave Keeper Only! Access to submit questions to upcoming guests of our show. The “good feeling” knowing that you are keeping this show alive (It really does feel good!) Listen to part two of this interview and get exclusive access to HUNDREDS of bonus episodes at http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

"The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before whom He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James's manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James's forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: 'peace be to thee, and forgiveness.' And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb." (Prologue)   His relics are venerated at his shrine in Compostela, Spain.