Podcasts about when thomas

Kids are in for a wild ride in today's Thomas & Friends™ railway story. When Thomas arrives to help out at the Sodor Animal Park, he discovers the park's new residents have escaped and are running amok at the docks! Can he get them rounded up and returned home? Plus, Sir Topham Hatt has an exotic idea to help promote the new monkey habitat, which leaves Thomas feeling embarrassed. Can his friends cheer him up? For more kids' stories, subscribe to the Thomas & Friends™ Storytime podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to your podcasts! ©2021 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.

Kids are in for a wild ride in today’s Thomas & Friends railway story. When Thomas arrives to help out at the Sodor Animal Park, he discovers the park’s new residents have escaped and are running amok at the docks! Can he get them rounded up and returned home? Plus, Sir Topham Hatt has an exotic idea to help promote the new monkey habitat, which leaves Thomas feeling embarrassed. Can his friends cheer him up? For more kids' stories, subscribe to the Thomas & Friends Storytime podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to your podcasts! ©2021 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.

Today we celebrate a British garden designer, prolific Edwardian Landscape Architect, and town planner. We'll also remember a British garden designer and architect known for his innovative gardens in Tuscany. We hear an excerpt about a fantastical garden. We Grow That Garden Library™ with one of the top books on Flower Gardening by a modern garden master. And then we’ll wrap things up with the story of the Iowa State Flower.   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 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 Two Secrets to Great Garden Design | Fine Gardening | Ann Stratton   Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. 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 May 5, 1861 Today is the birthday of British garden designer, prolific Edwardian Landscape Architect, and town planner Thomas Hayton Mawson who was born in Lancashire. When Thomas was a teenager, his dad started a nursery and fruit farm in Yorkshire. Thomas loved the orchard, but his happiness came to an abrupt end when his father died, and his mother was forced to sell the property. But the nursery experience had left an impression on Thomas and his siblings, and at one point, they all pursued work in horticulture. After the family moved to London, Thomas and his two brothers set up a nursery called Lakeland Nurseries. The business was a success, and it allowed Thomas to begin to focus on designing gardens - his zone of genius. In 1900, Thomas wrote his classic work, The Art and Craft of Garden Making, which is now considered foundational to modern Landscape Architecture. The book brought Thomas influence and authority - and to give an idea of its popularity, consider that it was reprinted five times. In short order, Thomas’s firm Thomas H. Mawson & Sons became THE firm for Landscape Architecture in England. Thomas's most famous client was William Hesketh Lever, an English industrialist, philanthropist, and politician. Thomas eventually designed many of William’s properties: Thornton Manor, Lever’s Cheshire home, Rivington Pike, and Lever’s London home, The Hill, Hampstead. Thomas is also remembered for designing England's first purpose-built mosque, The Fazl Mosque in Wandsworth. As his reputation grew, Thomas’s work on public spaces expanded. He was even commissioned to develop the Smokey Mountains National Park in the United States. Thomas's most notable public work was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie: the gardens of the Peace Palace in The Hague in 1908.   May 5, 1884  Today is the birthday of the British garden designer and architect known for his innovative gardens in Tuscany, Cecil Ross Pinsent. Cecil worked with the American art historian Bernard Berenson on his iconic estate known as the Villa I Tatti. This relationship opened doors for Cecil, and soon he was soon designing gardens for the wealthy in Tuscany. In the 1930s, Cecil designed his masterpiece: the gardens at La Foce (“FOE-che”) in Italy, midway between Florence and Rome. Tucked in 3,500 acres of farmland with scenes of the Tuscan landscape as a backdrop, La Foce was commissioned by the writer Marchesa Iris Origo (“O-ree-go”). In 1924, Iris and her husband, Antonio, purchased the villa, an old, rundown place. Iris reached out to Cecil, a family friend, and tasked him with creating a glorious garden. Knowing how Iris adored the gardens of Florence, Cecil set about creating the iconic structure of the garden - a series of intimate spaces lined with double box hedging, cypress, lawns, and meadows. The lush green garden is even more striking against the background of the barren Tuscan topography.   Unearthed Words When spring came, I dug up the garden and planted it, and weeded it, and prayed over it, and fidgeted; and almost three years of lying fallow had agreed with it because it produced radishes the size of onions, potatoes the size of melons, and melons the size of small sheep. The herb border ran wild, and the air smelled wonderful. ― Robin McKinley, American author of fantasy and children's books, Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast   Grow That Garden Library Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening by Matt Mattus  This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is A Gardener's guide to growing flowers from today's favorites to unusual varieties.  Well, I remember when this book came out because I already had a copy. And of course, at the time it was published (on March 10th), many of us were in the middle of beginning our lockdowns for the pandemic. I remember thinking what a shame it was because this book is not only beautiful - and man, I mean, it is absolutely gorgeous - but it's also so helpful. It's really a wonderful reference. Another reason I knew this book would be so good is that Matt is such a true professional. He has decades of experience with his own garden and his greenhouse, and you can read all about both of them over on his blog called Gardening With Plants. It really is a wonderful online resource. So, if you haven't checked that out, make sure that you devote a little bit of time to that. Now, if you are someone who starts annuals from seed, you will really enjoy Matt’s book. He talks about how to start over a hundred different annuals from seed. He also talks about things like summer bulbs and vines, which is a favorite topic of mine. I not only love to use vines as a vertical element in the garden, but also I think they're wonderful just ambling through the garden as a horizontal element, almost like a ground cover. So that's fantastic. And then Matt talks about things like blooming shrubs - one of my favorite topics.  You get so much bang for your buck with blooming shrubs. They give your garden structure, and they're just so low maintenance. They're wonderful. So blooming shrubs are one of my go-to’s in the garden. Now here's a little bit about what the publisher says about this book. You will learn little details and cultural facts about these flowers that will help you grow them. You'll find helpful tips for things like growing annual poppies and biennials, which can be a little bit challenging. You'll learn about forcing flowers for winter blooms, which is an enjoyable activity. In fact, one of the things that Matt talks about is how to force Lily of the Valley. That is a fantastic topic. And I'm sure now that I've mentioned it, it's making you very curious. If that doesn't do the trick, just trust me; this is a book that you're going to want to have in your botanical library. This book is 240 pages of a master class on flower gardening from a true master: Matt Mattus. I love the name and really loved the book. You can get a copy of Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening by Matt Mattus  and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $17   Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   May 5, 1897  Today the Iowa State Flower was officially selected, and the winner was the wild rose. In the early days of the state, Iowa pioneers often came across the wild rose as they settled on the Iowa prairie. Although the Iowa legislature designated the wild rose as their flower, they failed to specify which wild rose was official. In Iowa, there are three native wild roses: Rosa arkansana, Rosa blanda, and Rosa Carolina. Of the three, Rosa blanda (meadow rose) is most often regarded as the State Flower. In 2006, a fifth-grade student Maranda Olson drew the wild rose with oil pastels and won Maranda a trip to Washington, D.C., where her artwork was displayed at the new National Garden when it opened in the fall. The Des Moines Register reported that, “More than 5,000 students nationwide submitted artwork for the state flower contest. One student from each state was selected by a panel of art specialists and botanists. Art teacher Karen Skophammer… had a gut feeling Maranda might win and took a photo of the drawing before sending it to the contest. "In my heart, I knew that it was outstanding," Skophammer said. "Maranda is quite talented." Maranda guessed why she won and acknowledged that she barely looked at the technical photo of the wild rose. "I off-centered the flowers. Most other people put it right in the middle," she said. "I looked at a picture in the beginning, but not while I was drawing or coloring it." Scotts Miracle-Gro sponsored the contest, and company officials said they were pleased with the turnout.” And there's just one more story that I wanted to share with you. About the Iowa state flower, the wild rose. In 1897, Major Samuel H. M. Byers from Oskaloosa, Iowa, had worked behind the scenes with Senator Mitchell to make sure the legislation for the Wild Rose was passed. Major Byers was remembered for his Civil War service. While he was held prisoner in Columbia, South Carolina, he wrote the words to the famous song Sherman’s March to the Sea. But in better times, Byers also wrote a poem called “Song of Iowa” that became the lyrics to the Iowa State Song, The Rose of Iowa. Hast thou seen the wild rose of the West,  Thou sweetest child of morn?  Its feet the dewy fields have pressed,  Its breath is on the corn. The gladsome prairie rolls and sweeps,  Like billows to the sea,  While on its breast, the red rose keeps  The white rose company. The wild, wild rose, whose fragrance dear  To every breeze is hung,  Tho same wild rose that blossomed here  When Iowa was young. Oh, sons of heroes, ever wear  The wild rose on your shield;  No other flower is half so fair  In love's immortal field. Let others sing of mountain snows,  Or palms beside the sea, The State whose emblem is the rose  Is the fairest far to me.   Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26Thomas stretched, yawned, and turned off the alarm. For several minutes he argued with himself. One voice in his head said, Get up. It's time for church. Another voice said, Why not skip it? Your parents don't go. Sleep a little longer. In the end, the wrong voice won. "No one will care," Thomas mumbled as he pulled the blanket over his head. "I doubt anyone notices if I'm there or not."At recess the next day, Thomas tripped over a stump and broke a toe. "Owww!" he moaned as the doctor checked it out. "It hurts so bad!"Dr. Bradford nodded. "It will hurt for a while, but it will heal just fine. Give it time."When Thomas went to the mall with his mom on Saturday, he saw his Sunday school teacher there. While Mom paid for the things she was buying, Thomas and Mr. Wallace talked. "I see you're limping. Did you hurt your foot?" asked Mr. Wallace. "Is that why you weren't at church last week?""I broke my toe on Monday," Thomas answered. "I didn't come Sunday becausewell, I just figured I wouldn't be missed anyway.""Oh, you were missed," said Mr. Wallace. "The kids wondered if you were sick. They prayed for you.""Really?"Thomas asked."Really," Mr. Wallace replied. "When you're absent, there's a big gap in our class." He pointed to Thomas's foot. "Your toe isn't very big, but when you broke it, did it just bother that one toe, or did it affect your whole body?""For a couple of days, I couldn't do much at all," Thomas said. He laughed. "Dad said I acted like I broke my back.""So it affected your whole body," said Mr. Wallace with a smile. "It's like that with Christians too. Together we make up the body of Christ--the church. Each one of us is important, even those who may think they're the little toe. When one member hurts, we all hurt." He patted Thomas's arm. "You are important to our class, Thomas. Don't ever forget that."Thomas grinned. "I won't, Mr. Wallace. My toe won't let me. For a while, every step I take will remind me. See you tomorrow morning." (Barbara J. Westberg)How About You?Do you know someone who feels unimportant and needs encouragement? Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ, and each one of us is important. As we pray for one another and share in others' joys and sorrows, we encourage each other in our faith and remind one another of the love of Jesus. Don't neglect getting together with other Christians. You need them, and they need you. Today's Key Verse:We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. (NLT) (Romans 12:5)Today's Key Thought:Each Christian is important

So That You May Have Life John 20:19-31 Will Ed Green—Sunday, April 11th, 2021—Foundry United Methodist Church Good morning, friends. My name is Will Ed Green, and I serve as one of Foundry’s Associate Pastors and our Director of Discipleship. As we move into a time of reflecting on Scripture together we are so glad you’re with us. For those of you who are just tuning in, you’ll find links for fully engaging in our service in our Facebook and YouTube comments or on our website www.foundryumc.org. If you are in need ASL interpretation, we invite you to join us at www.foundryumc.org/asl. So I want to begin this morning by talking about the “Apophthegmata Patrum,”—no, that wasn’t a sneeze, I said “apophtegmata patrum.” They are the recorded sayings of a group of monks and nuns known as the Desert Mothers and Fathers. They lived in caves, mud huts, and even holes they dug in the ground in the deserts of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine; sometimes in small communities but, more often than not, alone. There, in the desert, with the busyness of life and the clutter of consumption cleared away, they embarked upon a bold endeavor: through prayer and contemplation, to live more humanely, to become—in modeling their life after Jesus—more human, and thus to become truly alive in the love of God. The “Apophthegmata”are snippets of stories and parables—preserved from the their own self-reflection, or offered to their disciples and visitors, that often begin with the question: “Amma, Abba, give me a word.” Their responses are not theological treatises or Christian self-help one-liners. They are plain and practical; unconcerned with right belief or theology and focused on matters of the heart. This simple wisdom cleaves performative spirituality and self-righteous theology from the practical matters of daily discipleship.  And because of this, they force us to address the ways what we profess is actually transforming our hearts and lives. Something John Wesley might have called “personal holiness” or “sanctification.” During these Great 50 Days—or the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost—our new sermon series invites us, like the Desert Mothers and Fathers, to focus our attention on the work of being and becoming alive. To receive in the fullness of its power the hope of the resurrection we proclaim. To embody, not just in right belief, but in the daily rhythms of our lives the freedom and abundance of life available when we live as those who believe that Jesus IS risen. So now, as we turn to the words of the Living Word, Jesus, and ask of them as those who traveled to the desert so long ago: “Give us a word” let us pray: Order our lives in your Word, O God, that everything we do may bear witness to your resurrection life.  Order our words in YOUR word, O God, that everything we say may bring life into a worry-weary world desperately in need of hope. Breathe the anointing of your Holy Spirit upon all those in the sound of my voice, that in this sacred space we now share together we might be transformed by your Living Word, and in that transformation might take our place in kin-dom work to which you’ve called us. And now may the words of this preacher, faulty and fleeting though they may be, fade into the background of the Word which you would have us receive this day. Amen. I want to begin this morning by acknowledging  that is a sermon about Jesus’ body and our bodies and the way they experience and express trauma. There may be moments when previous experiences of your own trauma rise to conscious awareness, so pay attention to your body. If you find yourself feeling anxious step away or pause and take a break, please know that’s ok. Today’s reading begins with the disciples in the throes of collective trauma. Their doors are barred in fear of what terror may yet occur. Just days before they witnessed their rabbi ruthlessly murdered, were denied by the disappearance of his body the familiar rhythms and rituals of mourning, and are certainly still trying to make sense of his promised resurrection in light of all these things. Suddenly, a surprisingly fleshy Jesus—given the doors to this kiki are locked tight—appears in the midst of their uncertainty, fear, and doubt. Showing his wounds. Speaking of peace. Breathing upon them. And it’s the revelation of his resurrected and scarred body—the text tells us—through which they see and know him for who he is, finally able to rejoice. But Thomas isn’t there to see the wounds and recognize the resurrection. And when told of what happened he insists that his belief will come only when he’s able to touch the wounds, feel the scars, and grasp hold of this body which held the trauma they’d all shared. When Thomas arrives, we’re not told whether or not he actually digs his hand into Jesus’ wounds, but it’s clear he’s given the chance to. And in this moment of direct confrontation with embodied sorrow and suffering—not just Jesus’ own, but that of the community who loved him— Thomas proclaims, “My Lord and My God,” finally able to see through those wounds the full promise of God’s resurrection power. John’s Gospel is the only one that makes the wounds of the resurrected Jesus central to the story, mixing the past pain and trauma of the crucifixion with the present rejoicing in and hope for resurrection. I find it fascinating that these encounters are precipitated by recognition of Jesus’ wounds. It’s not his miraculous appearance among them, not his face or voice, but his wounds that confirm his identity.  John’s Jesus isn’t a face-tuned, blemish-less, social media ready Savior fresh off a few days of rejuvenating rest in the tomb, but one who bears the marks of the cross and yet lives. Over the centuries we’ve conveniently made this a story about Thomas’s doubt. We love the image of one who must root around in the wounds of Jesus to achieve satisfaction—perhaps because we feel the need to excuse our own doubt or to satisfy ourselves with the thought that at least we’ve got more faith than THAT. But this reading also provides a convenient way to ignore the confronting an uncomfortable truth: resurrection doesn’t guarantee instantaneous healing. When the story is more about Thomas’ spiritual faults than wounds he insists on touching, we get to ignore that that resurrected Jesus still bears the marks of the tomb. The life he offers isn’t one in which our past trauma and sorrow is expunged. Instead, John’s resurrection body forces us to confront how they inform and are part of life. Healing cannot be separated from suffering. Resurrection cannot be separated from death. Let me pause and be clear here: this is not a sermon about redemptive suffering. As a pastor I wholeheartedly reject the idea that suffering is a somehow necessary part of the way we grow in faith or love of God and one another. This is bad theology—no tea, no shade, Paul…but maybe a little. And it’s the root of so many excuses for the continued mass incarceration, torture, and violence perpetuated against our black and brown siblings, too often one which traps women in cycles of abuse and neglect in the name of  “faithfulness,” and is regularly used against my queer siblings as they are subjected to theologies of self-loathing and the horrors of conversion therapy. But willingness to erase Jesus’ wounds and focus solely on Thomas’s doubt is dangerous. The wounds, and the pain they embody, can’t be overlooked. Far too many people are taught a theology of comparative suffering, where ‘good Christians’ are taught to minimize their suffering—or the suffering of others— because clearly other people have it worse than “you.” We are taught that our doubt, disbelief, heartache and hurt are an expression of faithlessness in God, that these don’t get to exist in tandem with life in a post-Easter world. Recent developments in psychobiology have given us a deeper understanding of how trauma impacts our brains and bodies. By trauma, I mean any experience which causes acute anxiety, fear, rage, or grief and that activates our desire to “fight or flee”. When this happens, a part of our brain, sometimes called the “lizard brain.” kicks into gear.  This ancient, built-in defense mechanism is tied directly our primary life systems, and can activate them before we consciously pick up on a threat. All of us, I’m sure, can remember moments of acute distress when our heart was pounding out of our chest, our breathing shallow, our palms sweaty, or our stomachs churning. Evolutionarily, these responses are meant to keep us alive until we can escape and process our experience. But what happens, when like the disciples, we encounter grief we can’t process or explain. A tomb left empty, holding more questions than answers. Night after night spent with the door tightly barred with no end to the threat in sight? Significant or repeated experiences of trauma, as author Bessel van der Kolk writes in “The Body Keeps the Score,” alter our perception of reality. We get stuck in the lizard brains, constantly reacting to something which our conscious brain might otherwise recognize as innocuous or inane.  Phrases like “Per my previous email” or “Can we talk?” can send us into fits of rage.  News notifications or unexpected phone calls can leave us panicked and breathless. Left unchecked, these trauma wounds impact nearly every aspect of our lives. We become stuck in cycles of self-sabotage; often in trying to prevent the threat of future trauma, inadvertently causing the very thing we fear.  In real moments of panic or danger, we become unable to distinguish those who want to help from those trying to cause harm, leaving us isolated and suspicious. These repeated trauma reactions build a new kind of knowledge in our bodies, changing the way we exist in and share space with others. Toxic anxiety—or prolonged periods of unabated anxiety—can kill us. Over time, our lizard brain’s over activation of our bodily systems can cause us to gain weight, makes hearts and arteries age abnormally, or our immune systems fail. We brains become so accustomed to our anxiety or the threat of trauma that we unconsciously create a world in which we constantly feel or create it because it’s the only way we know how to live.  One study comparing patients with untreated or significant past trauma to those without it, found that the brains of persons with PTSD literally shut down areas which control and help us define our sense of self in proximity to others. In an effort to erase their experience of trauma, our brains adapt, shutting off the parts of our brain that help us know perceive the world around us and know ourselves outside of our anxiety or fear of future pain or grief.           It’s no wonder it took Jesus miraculously appearing in their midst and revealing his wounds, rather than the words of Mary who encountered him just before, to recognize him. And that was just three days later. Thomas spent another week—another week!—living in that terror and fear. Jesus wasn’t the only one wounded in the story. He was just the only one who’s wounds we see. If you’ve ever read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, you might remember that goblins are sneaky, burrowing creatures who are terrified of light. Under the cover of darkness however, they leave their caves to wreak havoc and violence on unsuspecting victims, pillaging and plundering everything they can take. I have this image of our unnamed, un-healed trauma operating a little like these goblins. Our trauma goblins burrow just beneath the surface of our conscious awarenness and, hidden by our fear and shame about facing them, co-opt and corrupt our ability to distinguish between despair and hope, life and death, friend and foe. Left unchecked, they impact everyone around us. They change our ability to listen and respond to others. Our capacity to trust and show up authentically, to love and take worthwhile risks. They pillage the wealth of our relationships, our good intentions, and giftedness and in their wake often cause lasting harm to those we love.. But much  like Tolkein’s goblins are terrified of light, of being seen, our trauma goblins lose their agency over us when exposed to the light of conscious awareness. Trauma therapists now understand that the long-term trauma can only be dealt with in our bodies. Employing a variety of mind-body techniques like deep breathing, massage, yoga, and meditation allows survivors of long-term trauma and toxic anxiety to begin to understand how their trauma impacts their bodies, and through their bodies to begin learning what it means to regain control of their lives. By addressing the often-unconscious ways our anxiety and trauma is manifested in our bodies, we’re able to break its control over us. Perhaps this is why it took the wounded AND resurrected body of Christ to break the the coopting cycle of the disciples’ anxiety, fear, and self-doubt. Breathing new life and strength into bodies weary from trauma that never seems to end. Showing the wounds in all their pain and the promise that that there was yet life beyond them. And when that trauma misshaped and Mal-informed Thomas’s perception of himself and others, Jesus extended his hands, wounds and all, without reproach or shame, allowing Thomas to touch the source of his pain so that he might be free to live beyond its control. In her book Resurrecting Wounds, Shelley Rambo writes: “The truth of the resurrection conveyed through the symbols of [Jesus’] scars is that these textures (grief and joy, pain and pleasure) will always be present in life, often simultaneously. Interlaced with joy and pain, a life can be marked as holy even in all this ambiguity.” Jesus shows us how gentle acknowledgment and awareness of our trauma helps us recognize that God is present both in suffering and healing, in doubt and belief; liberating us from the lie that our past trauma and present wounded-ness is all there is to our story. The wounded and resurrected savior bears witness to the real resurrection promise: not that we will always be ok, or skate past suffering in life through slights of hand like comparative suffering, not some glorified, resurrected future free of all our past trauma and grief, but the freedom to see written in our marks our past trauma leaves that while life guarantees suffering and loss, God guarantees life despite of and beyond it. Social worker and author Resmaa Menakem notes in his book on racial trauma in America “My Grandmother’s Hands” that, “…we tend to think of healing as something binary: either we’re broken or we’re healed from that brokenness…but healing from trauma occurs [over a long time and] on a continuum.” If Thomas teaches us nothing else, he shows us that we do not need to be embarrassed or controlled our past traumas. His reach teaches us how to reject the temptations of comparative suffering, and gives us permission to be okay not being ok. To doubt. To be a hot mess express. His recognition and acclamation of the resurrection shows us that by naming our wounds they lose the power to define our experience of others and the world. In honoring our wounds,  in refusing to defer or delay our recognition of trauma, we bring into focus a reality too often denied by binary models of healing: that we can be both hurt and healing, broken and being made whole, in the tomb and yet returning to life.In that way, his demand to confront the wounds, to run his fingers over the still-fresh scars of the cruxifixion isn’t an act of doubt. But an experience of his own resurrection. And while Thomas may, in fact, offer us a lesson on doubt, he’s also showing us what it means, in light of the resurrection, to be and become alive. On my hands is a roadmap of my past only I can read. Here a deep scar, left when a frantic dash out the door pulled artwork off the wall that bit back. There an almost invisible pockmark from chicken pox long healed. Joints left crooked after broken bones, callouses left from picking up heavy things. They may not be pretty, but all those marks and scars on my hands remind me—in all their beauty and brokenness—despite it all I am still alive. Pentecost will mark the 19th anniversary of the first time I ever preached and publicly acknowledged my call to ministry. It will also mark the beginning of a profound and painful internal struggle with my God-given identity as a gay man and the ordination process of a church which actively told me that identity was incompatible with Christian teaching. There’ve been plenty of wounds along the way. Having to leave my home and family behind in order to be ordained in the church I felt called to. Living in fear of what would happen if a picture of my partner and I got posted on the wrong account or parishioners encountered me holding hands on a first date. Hiding my identity from my colleagues for fear it might be used against me in a court of…well, church law. Much like looking at my hands reminds me I'm still alive, every day I choose to name them, acknowledge, touch and know them reminds me that it’s ok that  I am healed and still healing. I am broken and almost being made whole. And that I am, in the words of that old Charles Wesley hymn, despite it all, yet alive.  The Abbas and Ammas of the desert often remark on the way has a funny way of entering in through the wounds we bear and slowly, imperceptibly, beginning the work of healing. And though I’m not sure I’ll ever stop fighting those old trauma goblins, God’s grace—new each day—gives me fresh hope that they don’t have to define what comes next. I know I don’t need to enumerate for you all the ways that we are these days, individually and collectively holding and bearing witness to trauma. But I do know that it’s okay to hold doubt in one hand and hope in the other. That in the light of the resurrection your scars and wounds aren’t proof of your failure or lack of capacity or worthlessness. No, they are proof you’re a badass. You can do and survive hard things. You already survived the worst moments of your lives. No one else has ever done that. No one else could. Best of all, I know that in the midst of all the trauma past, and all the trauma to come, we are accompanied by a Savior who’s love allows us the grace and space to know that—no matter how broken or wounded we may be—we are loved. And meets us in moments when they in all their death-dealing power threaten to overwhelm or overcome us with open arms, proclaiming peace and promising though our scars may remind us of where we’ve been, and what we’ve been through, they may inform but don’t have to dictate what comes next. I think that may be what it means to become in alive in God’s love. And, for now, at least for me, that’s resurrection enough. https://foundryumc.org/

I love the questions our youth often feel free to ask.  In fact, I wish more adults would feel as free to ask similar questions.  Anyway, on multiple occasions, I have received questions from our young people regarding faith, the life of Jesus, questions about the existence of God, and questions that show they have doubt about many aspects of faith.  I truly encourage these questions because that is how we learn, that is how we grow, and that is how we are taken to new places.  Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, once said, “Live the questions!”  I truly believe that is the best way we learn.  I also believe that as Christians, when we ask questions, we need to be honest about our doubt.  Far too often the church has discouraged doubt.  However, doubt is really a healthy aspect of faith.  In fact, theologian, Paul Tillich, said doubt is a very necessary element of faith.  And, theologian, Frederick Buechner, writes these words about doubt, “Whether your faith is that there is a God or that there is not a God, if you don’t have any doubts you are either kidding yourself or asleep.  Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith.  They keep it awake and moving.” (Wishful Thinking)    In other words, doubt is not only an element of faith, doubt becomes the process through which faith grows and faith is deepened.  Vibrant, living faith is nurtured and born in the mix of a rich environment where we have the freedom to ask questions, voice our doubts, articulate our wonderings about this person we call Jesus, and let go of old even elementary images of God.  For all of us, there is a real need for our old understandings of Jesus and our old understanding of faith to die.  Our old understandings need to be eaten away by doubts so that a new and deeper faith may be born.  In today’s gospel reading, questions and doubt come to the forefront in the story of Thomas.  However, the truth is that all the disciples were questioning and experiencing doubt.  It is the day of the resurrection and here we find the disciples sitting in a room behind locked doors because of fear, doubt, and quite likely more than a little shame.  They have blown it completely, they are hiding in fear, and they are doubting everything their master had said.  And, what is so fascinating is that, in the gospel of John, when Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection, nobody, not one person, initially recognizes him.  Notice in the beginning of today’s reading, the disciples do not recognize him until Jesus shows them his hands and side.  They doubted him!  They doubted it was Jesus!  It is only after Jesus shows them his hands and side that the disciples rejoice because they have seen the Lord.  While the other disciples also doubt, for some strange reason, only Thomas gets labeled “doubter.”  Far too often we judge Thomas because of his doubt.  We need to cut him some slack and give him a break.  In Thomas we find the yearning of one who desperately wants to see with his eyes and touch with his hands that of which he has been told.  He has real questions, real concerns, and a desire for a real encounter with the risen Lord.  I think the story of Thomas captures our hearts and minds because we, too, were absent to the Resurrection experience two thousand years ago.  When faced with the mystery of the Resurrection, the story of Thomas names that part in each of us that wants to scream out, “Show me!” Thomas has just had a very harsh encounter with reality.  Reality had hit hard in the form of a cross when his dear friend had been crucified.  And, when he fled that horrible scene, not only had Jesus died, Thomas’ hopes and dreams had also died.  Jesus’ crucifixion had destroyed his hopes for the future and very poignantly reminded him that there is an end.  And, it is the same for us.  When the harsh realities of life hit us – whether it be the death of a family member, the loss of a job, an unexpected illness, a broken relationship, aspects of this pandemic, or whatever – reality deeply cuts into our hopes, our dreams, the very fabric of our relationships, and we are reminded that there is an end.  There is an end over which we have no control as we feel we have been taken captive by an extremely cruel conqueror.  The reality that sliced into Thomas’s hopes and dreams left him emotionally bleeding and broken.  As he again joins the community of disciples, within the context of those who proclaim Jesus is alive, Thomas lays bare his doubt.  He is very honest about his doubt as he says, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.”  In the depth of his despair Thomas articulates his doubt, and it is in that place where he is now confronted with the risen Christ.  It is in that place of despair that Thomas is greeted by the risen Lord whose presence exudes forgiveness and grace as he hears the words, “Peace be with you.”  In that moment, Thomas knows he is in the presence of God and he believes.  Theologian, David Lose, describes the experience of Thomas in this way: When Thomas is greeted by the forgiveness and grace embodied in the words, “Peace be with you,” he instantly believes and makes the great confession of John’s gospel: “My Lord and my God!”  In a heartbeat Thomas knows that he is in the presence of God, has been saved and redeemed by that God, and that he will never be the same again.    Thomas lays bare his doubt which takes him to this encounter with the grace of God, embodied and enfleshed in the risen Lord Jesus.  Doubt drives him to question and it takes him to this place where he is encountered by the risen Lord and his entire reality is changed.  Wow!!  Did you get that?  Reality itself has changed.  The despairing Thomas does not escape from the real world and there is not a break from the tangible reality of the world.  No.  But, there is something very different, something very, very new.  God’s grace and God’s kingdom have invaded the real world, transformed it and nothing will ever be the same again.  I think Thomas experiences Easter in the way many of us begin to experience it.  Thomas finally gets Easter when he brings forth his questions. He wants to see and touch. He wants tangible proof and needs his own encounter before he can trust the story.  It is doubt that compels Thomas to ask the questions and it is doubt that takes him to the place where he is looking for what is really real and what truly matters.  You see, without doubt, our faith is shallow and rootless.  We fail to go down deep.  Doubt is a sign of a healthy and deep-rooted faith, though most of us are taught to believe the opposite. And, when doubt takes us to the deeper places in faith our reality changes.  We are transformed and our perspective on all of life changes as we live into a new reality. This is what Easter is all about and what Easter means for each one of us.  This new reality is a way of life, expressed as we come together to worship and be fed by the very life of the Risen Christ.  We participate in the work of our risen Lord and live into this new reality as we see the hungry in this world and work for change, whether it is by distributing bags of food to Okemos families so they can have an Easter dinner, by filling our micro pantries, or working with the refugees who are living in the Parish House as we help to provide for them a life of hope.  We live this new reality when we intentionally work to end extreme poverty, racism, and work to bring healing and wholeness to the environment and the profound brokenness in this world God so deeply loves. As the community of faith gathers and we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, voice our doubts and ask our questions, Jesus does appear.  The community of faith is not the place where we have and know all the answers.  It is a place where a searching faith can develop and become authentic and alive.  Such an environment creates the space for an authentic encounter with God as the risen Christ appears.  The story of Thomas, his questions and his doubt, is one of the most compelling, believable, realistic stories in the Bible because it is our story.  Doubt and the questions that arise are the very heartbeat of our faith!   And, the risen Christ is always breaking into our doubt and our questions and working to make us new.  Christ is risen!  Christ is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

ASCENSION AFTER FORTY DAYS From 'The Plan'  Paul O'Sullivan - Sydney, Australia.   pauloss@me.com   Jesus had brought millions of souls from the grave to the sky and his time in heaven for the celebration of this victorious journey was momentary, as he had left the tomb just before dawn and had to return to earth that same day. He would now spend forty days on earth as a witness to his resurrection, to seal The Plan of his Father and see it implemented for the rest of time. At the end of those forty days he would return to Heaven, to begin his new mission upon the planet. After that he would wait for ten more days before sending Holy Spirit to begin the new mission of the ‘Spirit of life in Christ Jesus’ Holy Spirit had accompanied Jesus every moment of his life on earth. He had joined himself to the human spirit of Jesus and had felt every feeling that Jesus had felt. He had known every one of his thoughts, and he had communicated every thought from Father God to him. Those thoughts became words in Jesus mouth, and Spirit caused those words to have life and power to all who heard Jesus speak. In this way Holy Spirit had also experienced life within humanity on the earth. In fifty days after his resurrection (Pentecost pente=fifty), and after Jesus had returned  back to  heaven  Holy  Spirit  would  become  the  bond between heaven and earth for all time. He would fall like rain from heaven upon the souls of mankind, seeking to awaken the spirit of humanity to the cosmic truth of what Jesus had done in joining mankind to God. This would now become the mission of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, in Heaven and on earth. That same day Jesus returned to earth in a glorified body that could never ever die again.   Mark 16:9 After that, He appeared in another form (heteros morphe – an altered form or nature) to two of them as they walked and went into the country. His body was without the constraints of a limited physical body, but it could be seen and recognized as a natural body. In this spiritual yet natural body Jesus could appear anywhere and at any time. He could feel and be touched, could breathe and eat, and walk and talk, all of which he did when he resumed his earthly visit. He came back and saw again the bewilderment and confusion in this world of uncertainty that people cling to so fervently, and he wanted to see all this change. He arrived in Jerusalem and heard that the temple priests had fabricated a story that his body had been stolen by the disciples and that they had overcome the temple guards and raided the tomb. He also heard that his disciples were still doubting that he had risen from the dead, even though some of them had come to the tomb and seen it empty, and some women had spoken to the angels. He set off walking from Jerusalem in the direction of Galilee, where he had said he would meet with his disciples. It was then that he saw the two men walking together in serious discussion and he recognized them (these were the men mentioned in that Scripture about Jesus appearing in another form). They were men who would have often come to listen to him and ask questions along with many other disciples. He greeted them and joined them as they walked, but Holy Spirit had supernaturally veiled their eyes from recognizing him. He listened as they spoke and detected the same mood of bewilderment, if not depression, that seemed to be hanging over everybody. He politely commented that they seemed to be bothered about something that was going on locally, and he asked what that might be. The one called Cleopas gave Jesus a puzzled look and said to Jesus that he must be the only visitor in Jerusalem that hadn’t heard about what had happened. So when Jesus asked Cleopas to spell out what he meant the two men smiled at each other and the other man began to patiently explain about the man called Jesus, a great man whom they had both followed and believed in. They enthusiastically recounted some of the miracles he had worked, and that he was a prophet, the greatest of them all. Cleopas broke in and added that Jesus stood up for justice and taught them about God. They thought he was going to turn the world upside down and make everything new for them. Jesus pushed them further for more details and they said they had expected that there would be freedom and prosperity for the Jews for a start.  There was a pause, then one of them gave a sigh and told Jesus how the temple priests had convicted Jesus as a criminal and how he was crucified by Pontius Pilate, and that today was the third day since these things happened. When Jesus asked them to explain the significance of the third day the two men looked at one another awkwardly and one of them shrugged and said that the man Jesus had said he would rise from the dead after three days. Cleopas took up the story again and explained that some of the women even went to the tomb and found it empty and reported they saw two angels who said he was alive, and that some of his very own disciples also went to the tomb and found it empty. He too shrugged as he finished talking. Jesus nodded and remained silent for a few paces as he walked alongside the two men. He then very pointedly asked them why on earth they didn’t just believe what they had been told by Jesus himself. The other man condescendingly and a little impatiently, replied that they hadn't seen anything, so what were they expected to believe?  It was then that Jesus quietly declared to them that they should have opened their hearts to what God had revealed, and simply believed what Jesus and all the prophets had spoken, that the Christ should suffer these things and then enter into his glory. He then began to speak about all the Scriptures concerning himself. He spoke in detail of the Plan of Father to send The Son into the world. He taught them from the words of Scripture about prophesies which outlined the details of his birth, and his life and death, and his resurrection. Something happened in their hearts as they listened to him, even though they still didn’t recognize who he was. And the next thing they knew they were close to Emmaus, which was their destination. They didn't want Jesus to stop talking so they appealed to him to stay with them, even though he told them he was going further. They asked him to at least stay and have a meal, so Jesus accepted their offer. During the meal Jesus took some bread, and gave thanks for it, and as he broke the bread their eyes were opened and immediately they recognized who he was. This was the ordinary, extraordinary moment, sitting at a table, life happening, very natural yet very spiritual, eye to eye and heart to heart. Jesus heard Father speaking to him from heaven, telling him that this was the way it was going to be. Holy Spirit would be the one who would open peoples’ eyes to see him and know him as he really was, and that was the way The Plan would be implemented from heaven to earth. Jesus then heard Holy Spirit whisper to him; “People will speak the truth about you, and I will reveal you to them.”  The next moment Jesus vanished from their sight After Jesus vanished from their sight the two men decided to go back into Jerusalem and find the disciples who were in hiding, afraid of what was going to happen to them because of the rumors that were going about that they had stolen Jesus’ body. They found them and were whisked inside and the doors were locked behind them. They told them of their journey with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and their miraculous meal with him where he had suddenly vanished. The disciples were ecstatic that Jesus was back from the dead, and while they were still talking Jesus appeared in their midst while the doors remained locked. The disciples panicked, and thought they were seeing a ghost, but Jesus explained to them that he was not a ghost because a ghost didn’t have bones and flesh, and he asked them to touch his hands and his feet and to see for themselves.    Jesus stretched forth his hands and his peace hit their hearts. He breathed his Spirit upon them and they received the impartation of his peace and they immediately felt at one with Jesus and with each other. This was just a mere foretaste of what was to come, as it would only be after his final ascension and being seated at the right hand of Father that Holy Spirit would be sent to dwell within them. On the day of Pentecost Holy Spirit would be sent from Father and from himself upon all humanity. That peace is also the air we can now breathe and that peace is what we can also now impart to others. He could still see their bewilderment, and he knew he had to convince them in some ordinary way that he was real and alive again. So he asked them if he could have something to eat. James scurried to the fire and brought back some steamed fish, and some honeycomb, and held the mixed platter out at arm's length as Jesus accepted it and ate it with gusto. He looked around the room and noticed that Thomas was not amongst them. He asked them why they didn't go to Galilee where he said he would be going to meet them. They shuffled about without giving an answer, and Jesus told them he would see them in a few days at Galilee, and he vanished once more. The disciples gathered at Galilee where they used to gather in the large boat shed that belonged to James and John's fisherman father, where they tended to the boats and net repairs. It was situated snugly in a grove overlooking the beach. Peter had been waiting with the others and had then become restless and asked James and John to come fishing with him to get some food for Jesus to eat. While the three were out fishing Jesus suddenly appeared to the others as they sat patiently, waiting for his arrival. When Thomas saw Jesus appear he walked hesitatingly towards him and stopped in front of him. Jesus knew that Thomas had not believed that he had risen, even after the other disciples had said that they had seen him. Jesus held out his hands towards Thomas and told him to touch his hands where the nails had pierced, and to touch his side where the Centurion’s lance had entered his side. Thomas broke down and wept, and told Jesus that he believed. Jesus gently acknowledged his faith, that in seeing and touching he now believed. He went on to tell Thomas that there would be many who will believe without even seeing him and that they would be greatly blessed for that kind of faith. Jesus comforted him and he disappeared again.  Jesus appeared to them again one morning after seven of them had been out fishing all night and had caught nothing. He stood on the shore and watched them fishing but they didn't realize that it was him. He shouted out to the fishermen from the shore, asking them if they had yet caught anything. A disgruntled ‘No’ came from Peter to this expert on the seashore, who responded to Peter by telling him to cast his net on the other side of the boat. Peter was about to explode when he heard John cry out that the expert on the seashore was indeed Jesus, The Lord. Peter then yelled to the others to do what Jesus had said. So they threw the nets to the other side and began to pull so many fish into the boat that they could hardly keep the boat afloat. But by this time Peter had plunged into the sea, swimming for all his might to get to his friend on the seashore, leaving the crew on the boat to work together on the haul. When Peter lurched his way up onto the shore he headed straight for Jesus and collapsed in front of him. He saw that Jesus had already prepared a fire with burning coals and had fish and toasted bread ready for them to eat. He didn't ask Jesus how he got the fish. Jesus reached down and helped Peter into a sitting position and told him to go and get some more fish from the catch so they could make breakfast for the others.  After they had all enjoyed breakfast together Jesus called Peter aside. He knew there were things that had to be said between them. Peter’s soul was in a turmoil of regrets, shame and guilt. Time and again he had asked himself why he didn’t stand up for Jesus instead of disowning him three times when he was asked if he knew him - and could that have made a difference? He had remembered when the rooster crowed that Jesus had predicted that he would do just that. What was Jesus going to say to him now – would Jesus disown him, even rebuke him three times? But Jesus asked Peter three times, in three different ways whether or not Peter loved him. The love of Jesus owned Peter, and Peter passionately gave himself up to the ownership of God’s love. As a true representation of a flawed humanity owned by God’s love, Peter was mercifully forgiven and accepted. It was also this moment that owned him, not the past, or the uncertainty of the future. This would also continue to be his greatest gift to God, seeking to give each moment to his loving presence. After having his spirit and soul fed with this Word of love from Jesus, repeated three times, Peter was commissioned three times to feed God’s lambs and feed his sheep. As Peter would go on in life, he would face his many imperfections, and he would learn to return to each present moment, as in that special moment, where he could surrender to the ownership of love, shed his fears, and grow in faith as a participator in God’s nature. Jesus met with hundreds of people over those forty days, but on the final day he gathered with just over a hundred of his disciples and followers, including his mother. Jesus then took the eleven disciples aside to give them some final instructions. He told them to go into Jerusalem and to wait for Holy Spirit’s empowerment. They were to wait in the same upper room in which he celebrated the Passover feast with them the night he was taken captive. He then told them about the fulfillment of The Plan.  Jesus explained to them that Father had always wanted to have a family of sons and daughters to share his love with them - the same way that Father had shared his love with Jesus himself. Lucifer had tried to block this Plan from the beginning of time by blinding the mind of humanity with darkness, causing a chasm of separation from the living God to exist in their minds and to devise independence in their souls. But Jesus had overpowered darkness and Holy Spirit would come to them and bring them the power of the life that he now lived. He told them he would join their lives to his risen life and they would become one in Spirit with him. Holy Spirit would take Father’s love, and his own words, and place them in the hearts of men and women, as a deep consciousness of indwelling abiding life. He told them they would together be as his body in the World, and each in their own way, gifted with grace and faith from Heaven. People and things that happened around them would change, as they themselves became more and more changed into being more like him. A dazzling light shone within a billowing white cloud above them. Jesus turned to them all and raised his hands in blessing. He did not need to say goodbye. As he began to rise slowly heaven-wards he was enveloped in the cloud, and as they stood together looking into the cloud that had taken him they saw the shining figures of Michael and Gabriel standing to one side (Acts 1:10). Gabriel told them that the same cloud that they saw taking Jesus into eternity would also bring him back one day - in total glory and triumph, and The Plan will have been fulfilled. he End.      

When Thomas was in doubt, he seeked the Lord with a humble heart and Christ presented Himself! We too should go to God with a humble heart!

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/110/29 3659 Thomas Irvin Part 1 (Fatherlessness, Rage, Rebellion) When Thomas Irvin 12, he saw his mother talking to a man he had never seen before. When Thomas saw the conversation was getting heated, he grabbed his knife to defend his mom. He later found out the man was his father. The men who were present in Thomas’ life were alcoholics, deadbeats and abusers. This grew a deep-seated anger in him that took him on a relentless search for a true father figure.

In this episode I am joined by Thomas Hübl, spiritual teacher, author, and international facilitator whose work integrates the core insights of mysticism with the discoveries of science. When Thomas’ team contacted me to interview Thomas about his new book, Healing Collective Trauma, I was very interested to read Thomas’ thoughts on this emerging area. In this interview Thomas shares his spiritual biography, including his time in Vienna training as a medical doctor, and his four-year meditation retreat in the Czech Republic. Thomas goes into detail about his intellectual influences, his spiritual insights, and his twenty years of group facilitation work. Thomas also discusses the challenges of combining evidence based scientific work in the field of trauma and psychology with the subjective authority of the mystic’s personal experience. … Video version: Audio version of this podcast also available on iTunes and Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … 0:00 - Intro 0:52 - Why did Thomas write this book? 3:11 - Early influence of the work of Ken Wilber and Wilhelm Reich, and which books and workshops influenced Thomas? 9:38 - Why did Wilhelm Reich so resonate with Thomas? 12:20 - Kriya yoga, Sri Aurobindo, and Thomas on time 15:30 - Rewriting history and integrated ancestry 21:45 - Thomas’ personal resonance with Jewish spirituality, Tibetan Buddhism, and Daoism 25:15 - What does Thomas specifically like about Tibetan Buddhism and has he met any masters of that tradition? 27:26 - How Thomas began to access higher dimensions of consciousness 36:00 - Mixing spiritual language with scientific and psychological language 40:31 - Spirituality or science as the over-arching narrative? 42:07 - Why doesn’t Thomas reference specific wisdom traditions in his book? 50:03 - What is the source of authority for Thomas’ spiritual claims? 51:18 - Thomas as his own authority 51:43 - Why does Thomas’ consider it necessary to include his spiritual material alongside his psychological group process work? 1:00:57 - Why no clinical or anecdotal outcomes included in the book? 1:06:42 - Thomas’ critique of encounter groups 1:11:50 - Work being done to verify the efficacy of the CTIP process 1:13:38 - The impact of trauma on the systemic and societal level 1:15:37 - Thomas’ positive vision for what society could be 1:20:19 - Thomas’ websites and NGO ... Buy Thomas’ book here: https://www.collectivetraumabook.com/ To learn more about Thomas’: www.thomashuebl.com www.pocketproject.org For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - http://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

Would you like to learn more about faith? You've come to the right person. No, not me, Abraham. This is a daily devotional podcast supporting a teaching series for the Watford church of Christ and the Thames Valley churches of Christ called "Adventures in faith with Abraham". It is also part of my quiet time coaching series. What is it about Abraham which is so admirable? Many things. But perhaps above all else his adventurous faith, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV11) Join me as we step out on a faith adventure with Abraham. Episode 19 Today we move further into chapter 15 “And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:7–11 NAS95) What are we seeing here? God helping our struggles to believe him. In the previous verse we see that Abraham's willingness to trust God is accredited to him as righteousness. Yet, oh so humanly, Abram still has questions. The issue is not so much will it happen, as how. We will look at the implications of the covenant tomorrow, but for now we will reflect on a couple of things. Why are these animals asked for? It might be a little speculative, but it is possible that God is prefiguring the sacrifices that will be expected later – Leviticus 19:2-3. Perhaps they represent the three generations who will be oppressed in Egypt (v16). Abram chasing away the birds of prey might symbolise him protecting his relationship with God, or, also perhaps, preserving the purity of his relationship with Yahweh by keeping the pagan influences at a distance (Ezekiel 17:23; see also Ezek 31:6, Dan 4:12, Ps 104:12 where the birds represent the Gentile nations). Devotional thought for today Surely God does not need to feel any under any obligation to answer this question. However, he accommodates Abram. Abram is asking for a sign. God does not see this as a lack of faith. It turns into an opportunity to affirm the covenant. The way to greater faith is through our doubts. The path to greater confidence in our salvation is through our fears. Whilst it is true that Jesus rebuked people for a lack of faith, and for giving in to fear, he did not give up on those who doubted and were afraid. Later, when his followers looked back on those experiences, they were able to see God with them in their challenges. When Thomas met Jesus he said, “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”” (John 20:28 NIV11). His doubts and fears were put to rest by the presence of Jesus. Any doubts and fears you may have at the moment will not be resolved by a change of circumstances, or intellectual gymnastics. They will be made useful by taking them into the presence of Jesus where he can give you his affirmation. Prayer point for today Ask God to help you take your doubts and fears into his presence. If you have any questions or feedback please contact me: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. The apostle Paul said of Abraham, “He is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:16 NIV11) Let's allow him to be the father of Faith to you and me in January and February 2021. Many thanks for listening today. See you tomorrow as we continue our adventure of faith with Abraham. Take care and God bless, Malcolm

Would you like to learn more about faith? You've come to the right person. No, not me, Abraham. This is a daily devotional podcast supporting a teaching series for the Watford church of Christ and the Thames Valley churches of Christ called "Adventures in faith with Abraham". It is also part of my quiet time coaching series. What is it about Abraham which is so admirable? Many things. But perhaps above all else his adventurous faith, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV11) Join me as we step out on a faith adventure with Abraham. Episode 19 Today we move further into chapter 15 “And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:7–11 NAS95) What are we seeing here? God helping our struggles to believe him. In the previous verse we see that Abraham's willingness to trust God is accredited to him as righteousness. Yet, oh so humanly, Abram still has questions. The issue is not so much will it happen, as how. We will look at the implications of the covenant tomorrow, but for now we will reflect on a couple of things. Why are these animals asked for? It might be a little speculative, but it is possible that God is prefiguring the sacrifices that will be expected later – Leviticus 19:2-3. Perhaps they represent the three generations who will be oppressed in Egypt (v16). Abram chasing away the birds of prey might symbolise him protecting his relationship with God, or, also perhaps, preserving the purity of his relationship with Yahweh by keeping the pagan influences at a distance (Ezekiel 17:23; see also Ezek 31:6, Dan 4:12, Ps 104:12 where the birds represent the Gentile nations). Devotional thought for today Surely God does not need to feel any under any obligation to answer this question. However, he accommodates Abram. Abram is asking for a sign. God does not see this as a lack of faith. It turns into an opportunity to affirm the covenant. The way to greater faith is through our doubts. The path to greater confidence in our salvation is through our fears. Whilst it is true that Jesus rebuked people for a lack of faith, and for giving in to fear, he did not give up on those who doubted and were afraid. Later, when his followers looked back on those experiences, they were able to see God with them in their challenges. When Thomas met Jesus he said, “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”” (John 20:28 NIV11). His doubts and fears were put to rest by the presence of Jesus. Any doubts and fears you may have at the moment will not be resolved by a change of circumstances, or intellectual gymnastics. They will be made useful by taking them into the presence of Jesus where he can give you his affirmation. Prayer point for today Ask God to help you take your doubts and fears into his presence. If you have any questions or feedback please contact me: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. The apostle Paul said of Abraham, “He is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:16 NIV11) Let's allow him to be the father of Faith to you and me in January and February 2021. Many thanks for listening today. See you tomorrow as we continue our adventure of faith with Abraham. Take care and God bless, Malcolm

Would you like to learn more about faith? You've come to the right person. No, not me, Abraham. This is a daily devotional podcast supporting a teaching series for the Watford church of Christ and the Thames Valley churches of Christ called "Adventures in faith with Abraham". It is also part of my quiet time coaching series. What is it about Abraham which is so admirable? Many things. But perhaps above all else his adventurous faith, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV11) Join me as we step out on a faith adventure with Abraham. Episode 19 Today we move further into chapter 15 “And He said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” He said, “O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:7–11 NAS95) What are we seeing here? God helping our struggles to believe him. In the previous verse we see that Abraham's willingness to trust God is accredited to him as righteousness. Yet, oh so humanly, Abram still has questions. The issue is not so much will it happen, as how. We will look at the implications of the covenant tomorrow, but for now we will reflect on a couple of things. Why are these animals asked for? It might be a little speculative, but it is possible that God is prefiguring the sacrifices that will be expected later – Leviticus 19:2-3. Perhaps they represent the three generations who will be oppressed in Egypt (v16). Abram chasing away the birds of prey might symbolise him protecting his relationship with God, or, also perhaps, preserving the purity of his relationship with Yahweh by keeping the pagan influences at a distance (Ezekiel 17:23; see also Ezek 31:6, Dan 4:12, Ps 104:12 where the birds represent the Gentile nations). Devotional thought for today Surely God does not need to feel any under any obligation to answer this question. However, he accommodates Abram. Abram is asking for a sign. God does not see this as a lack of faith. It turns into an opportunity to affirm the covenant. The way to greater faith is through our doubts. The path to greater confidence in our salvation is through our fears. Whilst it is true that Jesus rebuked people for a lack of faith, and for giving in to fear, he did not give up on those who doubted and were afraid. Later, when his followers looked back on those experiences, they were able to see God with them in their challenges. When Thomas met Jesus he said, “Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”” (John 20:28 NIV11). His doubts and fears were put to rest by the presence of Jesus. Any doubts and fears you may have at the moment will not be resolved by a change of circumstances, or intellectual gymnastics. They will be made useful by taking them into the presence of Jesus where he can give you his affirmation. Prayer point for today Ask God to help you take your doubts and fears into his presence. If you have any questions or feedback please contact me: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. The apostle Paul said of Abraham, “He is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:16 NIV11) Let's allow him to be the father of Faith to you and me in January and February 2021. Many thanks for listening today. See you tomorrow as we continue our adventure of faith with Abraham. Take care and God bless, Malcolm

Thomas Williams - Thomas Williams - NFL Star to Worldwide Inspiration, Gives us 'Permission to DREAM!' ------- Thomas R. Williams is the author of Permission to DREAM and The Relentless Pursuit of Greatness, Professional Speaker, NFL Player Engagement Ambassador, and Philanthropist. As a professional speaker Mr. Williams is a member of The Jon Gordon Speaking team and communicates with great passion and purpose on “The Energy Bus” and “Training Camp.” He impacts his audiences by helping them create a successful vision which leads them to greatness. One of Thomas’ main passions is coaching both college and professional athletes on the inevitable transition to life beyond the scoreboard. He is driven by his mantra, “Athletes are great people first, who just so happen to be great athletes. Greatness may have started with sports but it doesn’t end when you retire… GREATNESS is a lifestyle.” Thomas serves as an NFL Player Engagement Ambassador, teaching college student athletes about character, leadership and the NFL evaluation process. When Thomas isn’t traveling the globe impacting lives, he is serving as the Director of “Pursuits of Greatness.” His nonprofit was developed to help college student athletes prepare for life after their playing career, by giving them custom tailored suits once the athlete has exhausted all athletic eligibility. This symbol of professionalism represents a new uniform that an athlete has retired, and is transitioning to their life of GREATNESS. In 2008 Thomas graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Sociology. Nicknamed The Hitman, Thomas was a captain on USC’s football team where he and his Trojan teammates had a record of 59-6. They won 2 National Championships and 3 Rose Bowls. Selected 155th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft Thomas played 5 years in the NFL, where he was not just focused on winning and competing, but rather mastering TEAMWORK, MENTAL TOUGHNESS and LEADERSHIP. In 2012 after a career ending neck injury, Thomas transitioned from a game changer to a life changer, helping people tackle obstacles and finding their winning solutions.   -------- LMNT DrinkLMNT.com/DavidNurse Popular electrolyte drinks on the market have low amounts of electrolytes and miss the mark on the “optimal ratio”. LMNT Recharge gives you more electrolytes in the ideal ratio. 1000 mgSODIUM 200 mgPOTASSIUM 60 mgMAGNESIUM WITHOUT THE DODGY STUFF What we DON’T consume is just as important as what we DO consume. No Sugar No Gluten No Fillers No Artificial Ingredients Paleo & Keto Friendly --------- SPONSOR Somavedic https://somavedic.com/discount/DAVIDNURSE DAVIDNURSE 10% Somavedic as device that blocks or shields EMF. Somavedic is a bioresonance device that shields from EMF, and mitigates harmful effects on the body. It creates a field of coherence and helps the cells repair faster and better. ------ CONTINUED GROWTH Join the 1% Newsletter at www.davidnurse.com for 1% weekly improvement emails!  Contact David for in-depth personal coaching at info@davidnurse.com MY BEST SELLING BOOK PIVOT & GO! https://www.amazon.com/Pivot-Go-Blueprint-Redefine-Achieve/dp/1645431118  

Full Text of ReadingsThe Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas Lectionary: 202All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is St. Thomas BecketSt. Thomas was born in London, England around the year 1117. He was the son of pious parents, and his mother converted to Christianitythrough the example and teachings of his father. From his early youth, Thomas was educated in religion and holiness. After his childhood, Thomas was then taught at a monastery and later at a school in London. After the death of both his parents, Thomas decided to finish his schooling by studying canon law. He was successful in his studies and was made secretary to one of the courts of London.After working for a while at law, Thomas decided todedicate the rest of his life to God, and began to work towards ordination. In all that he did, Thomas diligently applied himself and became well known as a holy and honest worker. His work came under the scrutiny of his friend King Henry II and, in 1157, Thomas was asked to serve as Lord Chancellor to the king. After the bishop of Canterbury died, Henry sought to elect Thomas to the position, and in 1162 this suggestion was accepted by a synod. Thomas warned the king that it might cause friction and conflict of interests, but accepted the position.Thomas served as bishop by seeking to help the people and develop his own holiness. He practiced many penances and was very generous to the poor with both his time and his money. As Henry's reign continued, he began more and more to exercise his hand in Church affairs. This caused many disagreements with Thomas, and after one especially trying affair, he retired for a while to France. When Thomas returned to England, he again became involved in a dispute with the king. Some of the king's knights saw this as treason, and as a result theykilled Thomas in his own Church. From St. Thomas, the modern Catholic can find inspiration to be courageous in their steadfastness with what they know to be right and holy. Saint of the Day Copyright CNA, Catholic News Agency

When Thomas and Jackie Hawks are reported missing, investigators suspect the people who would stand to benefit most from their murder - the down-on-their-luck couple who have been attempting to purchase the Hawks' houseboat. Now you can LISTEN to full episodes of Snapped! The new Snapped: Women Who Murder podcast is the audio from our original premiere episodes of Snapped that have aired on Oxygen. Start listening now: http://oxygen.tv/SnappedSpotifyCan't get enough true crime? Check out PeacockTV.com for even more!Want to join our facebook group? Clink the Link to chat with John, Daryn, and other Martinis and Murder fans!Follow Matt The Bartender on Instagram: @Matt_The_BartenderFollow John: @jthrasher on Twitter, @jthrasher on InstagramFollow Daryn: @CarpeDaryn on Twitter, @CarpeDaryn on InstagramShop for Martinis and Murder merch at https://www.shopoxygen.com/shop-by-show/martinis-and-murder.htmlCheck out Detective's Den at https://www.oxygen.com/detectives-denYou can send us things! Send all mail to:Martinis & MurderOxygen Media30 Rockefeller Plaza12th FloorNew York, NY 10112 Hotline: The Martinis and Murder Hotline is live! Call us at 212-664-2072 to leave voicemails, feedback, questions, comments, martini recipes, case suggestions, or to yell at Matt! All we need is your first name, last initial, and where you’re from (city and state). Please note that your submission constitutes permission to use your message on the podcast. Must be 18 or older!Subscribe to Martinis & Murder for new episodes every week!

When Thomas sees a vintage plane flying overhead, he is fascinated and follows it to the airfield. There he meets many wonderful planes and learns all about the part they played in the war. Thomas wishes he could be a hero too.  Listen and subscribe to the Thomas & Friends™ Storytime podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to your podcasts!  ©2020 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.

After my conversation with Grady, it occurred to me why his preferred greeting was a “fist bump” not a handshake. A handshake would’ve exposed the scars on his wrist—the result of his attempts to do himself harm. It’s not uncommon for us to hide our wounds—external or internal—caused by others or self-inflicted. After interacting with Grady, I thought about Jesus’ physical scars, the wounds caused by nails pounded into His hands and feet and a spear thrust into His side. Rather than hiding His scars, Jesus called attention to them. After Thomas initially doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead, Jesus said to him, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). When Thomas saw those scars for himself and heard Christ’s amazing words, he was convinced that it was Jesus. He exclaimed in belief, “My Lord and my God!” (v. 28). Jesus then pronounced a special blessing for those who haven’t seen Him or His physical wounds but still believe in Him: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (v. 29). The best news ever is that His scars were for our sins—our sins against others or ourselves. The death of Jesus is for the forgiveness of the sins of all who believe in Him and confess with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

When Thomas questioned and doubted the resurrection, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his hands and feel the nail marks. Today, Jesus also invites us to approach God with all our questions and doubts.

I'm excited to welcome Thomas Frank to this episode of the podcast. Thomas is an author, YouTuber, musician, and podcaster who is passionate about helping people become more capable and productive. This episode is brought to you by Bambee. When running a business, Human Resources issues can kill you. There's so much to wrap your head around and hiring an HR Manager is going to cost you - they command an average of seventy-thousand dollars a year! That's where Bambee comes in. Created specifically for small business, Bambee provides you with a dedicated HR Manager that can craft your HR policy, and maintain your compliance, all for just one low monthly fee. You don't need to deal with HR issues - let Bambee do that for you. Go to https://bambee.com/timecrafting (bambee.com/timecrafting) now to schedule your FREE HR audit. You'll be glad you did.This episode is brought to you by Policygenius. We’re always going to get things wrong. That’s just life. But there are also things we can get right on the first try. Like shopping for life insurance. That’s where Policygenius comes in. Policygenius makes finding the right life insurance a breeze. In minutes you can compare quotes from the top insurers to find your best price. You could save $1500 or more a year by using Policygenius to compare life insurance policies. So even if you look back on your triple denim days in distress, you’ll never be distressed about life insurance with Policygenius. In just a few minutes you can find your best price and apply at Policygenius.com. We all get things wrong from time to time. At least we can get life insurance right with Policygenius. Check it out by heading to https://www.policygenius.com/ (Policygenius.com).This episode is brought to you by the University of California Irvine Division of Continuing Education. Established in 1962, UCI offers education for adult learners in Orange County. But thanks to technology, their courses and certification programs in various fields are now available worldwide and online for just about anyone who's interested. You can get 15% off of one (1) course by visiting https://ce.uci.edu/about/trending/toolkits.aspx?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paidsocial&ut%20m_campaign=productivityist&utm_term=20WI20SP (http://ce.uci.edu/productivityist) then enter the promo code timecrafting. Make sure you take advantage of this limited time offer as it is only valid until July 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm. (Please note that this discount is for almost all of the certificate programs. The exceptions only include coding boot camps, international programs, teacher credentialing programs, and test prep courses.)Thomas does most of his work at College Info Geek, one of the world’s largest and best-loved resources for students. College Info Geek includes a blog, podcast, and a YouTube channel with over 1.7 million subscribers. I've been looking forward to releasing this episode for a long time. As a matter of fact, it's bizarre that I haven't had Thomas on the show until now. (That's probably why this episode clocks in as my longest to date, both in terms of length and amount of links in the show notes.) There's so much we talk about during this episode – as you can see and soon will hear. I hope you enjoy this lengthy and deep discussion that I'm thrilled to send your way. Talking Points When did Thomas decide that video was the route he was going to take? (2:56) Thomas talks about his inspiration to "do video" a little differently (7:46) When Thomas researches these videos, what does that look like? (11:27) Thomas shares how many videos he has in the making process at once (13:34) This is what his framework looks like (29:52) What does a typical day look like for Thomas? (39:15) Who inspires Thomas to make films? (49:32) Quote "If you're the kind of person who's only ever reading productivity books and reading self help books you're getting a...

RESURRECTION In the in the last podcast I did called ‘From the cross to the grave’, Jesus had come to visit those prisoners of time in Paradise. So this account of the Resurrection could be called ‘From the grave to the sky’.The bible says that Jesus then preached to all those prisoners of time the message of the plan of Father (The Gospel) in sending him to cancel sin and to bring new life, and to lead captivity captive by setting prisoners free from the captivity of time - waiting as captives for heaven to come to them. Many listened and many heard. The Scriptures speak of this moment about Jesus.1Peter 3:18 He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. But though his body died, his spirit lived on, and it was in the spirit that he visited the spirits in prison and preached to them-- spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God, though he waited patiently for them while Noah was building the ark. Jesus sat with Noah, and Adam and Eve, and Moses, and Abraham and many many others in Paradise, talking and resting with them. He was to wait there until the end of the third day. It was toward the end of that third day when suddenly everyone’s conversation began to fall off and diminish into silence. All faces looked up and around as if to detect and determine what that sound was and where it came from. It was beautiful music that danced with itself on waves of exuberant joy. It surged and tumbled about them and was then overlaid with a swell of magnificent singing which became stronger and louder as hosts of flying angels swept into their presence. Jesus stood to greet the two chief angels, and it was then that he was given a set of two keys. These were the keys of hell and death (Rev.1:18). With one of the keys darkness would one day be locked away and set aside for another encounter, reserved for an appointed day at the end of time. With the other key he would now unlock the prisoners of the past from their patient pause and take many into an eternal heaven. When Jesus turned the key of freedom in the prison gate a tremor hit the universe. Power from Father and Holy Spirit in heaven was released into and through Jesus to overcome death and that changed the nature of every atom of matter in existence and brought all things that existed into a new kind of union with Jesus. Prior to this moment, all of creation was separate to the creator. That separation was there from the start and caused mankind to go his own way and miss the mark of going the way of God – and that is sin. This is known as the law of sin and death in humanity. but now Jesus, who had now overcome this law of sin and death has made a new way open for humanity to walk in God’s ways in the new law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Now that our creator Jesus has joined himself to his creation in humanity we can rise above this separation called the law of sin and death. The Bible says that the whole creation is groaning for this glory to be fully manifested and that we groan within ourselves also for its complete fulfillment which will be at the end time resurrection. Romans 8:23 The time came for them to leave and Jesus led them on a triumphant upward journey, to their new home, his home. The entire company was escorted by Michael and Gabriel and the hosts of angels around them as they ascended ever upwards until they reached the earth, from where they, and he most recently, had come. There they all stopped for a brief period of time, because there were things for Jesus to do there. The first thing that he had to do was to go to his tomb where his earthly body lay in its shroud. Michael and Gabriel flew before Jesus to the tomb and found the guards there that the temple priests had appointed to stand watch at the tomb. As the angels alighted the ground shook and the massive stone rolled away as a huge burst of lightning hit the place sending the guards reeling headlong to the ground. They leapt up in fright and bolted. Jesus entered his tomb and united himself again to the wounded shell of his body, leaving the headpiece and shroud lying separated from one another in the tomb (John 20:7). Michael and Gabriel waited inside the tomb while Jesus walked bodily from the temporary resting place, out into the garden. He walked about, recalling vividly the events that had so recently taken place nearby. He remembered his time of kneeling in an agony of prayer, when he accepted his cup of unbearable suffering. A very strange thing was also happening in other parts of Jerusalem. Hundreds of souls who had just accompanied Jesus from below and who had recently died were making the briefest of appearances to their loved ones (Matthew 27:52). At that same time some women had prepared oils and spices to anoint Jesus’ body. On their way to the tomb they were discussing the problem of how to move the huge stone that covered the entrance. When they arrived they were astonished to see that it had been moved and the guards were nowhere to be seen. They peered inside the tomb and were met by the majestic appearance of Michael and Gabriel, sitting in the place where Jesus had been laying. ”Are you looking for Jesus? Gabriel said. He has come back to life as he said he would. Go and tell the disciples that he will be coming to see them, and that they are to wait for him in Galilee.” The women ran to tell the disciples but one of them dropped behind and walked slowly through the garden, still confused and weeping. She almost collided with Jesus who was also walking in the garden, and she apologized, not recognizing him, thinking he was the gardener. But he called her by her name and said,“ It's alright Mary, it's me, it really is.” When she recognized him she ran towards him but he held up his hand and said, “Please do not hold me because I cannot be touched until I have presented the complete offering of my body and blood to my Father (Leviticus 23:9-16). I will be back with you very soon, so go and tell the others.” Jesus then regrouped with all those he had set free and the magnificent procession began to move in splendor with its escort of glorious angels, from the grave to the sky. As their ascension took them closer and closer to the throne room a mighty voice could be heard proclaiming, “Open up gates, and let the King of Glory come in.” (Psalm 24:7-10) At this command the heavenly music began. The sound of thousands of pipes, the voices of hundreds of harmonies, the deepest of vibrating bass and the ascending range of every stringed instrument created a majestic symphony. The cascading melody and the volumes of resonance pulsed with rhythm, flooding and receding in this moment of triumph. Jesus had come home. Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he sustains everything in the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… Ephesians 1:19-21. how vibrant and powerful is that divine energy that comes from God to us when we simply believe that he is the creator and generator of this supernatural power 20. Which exploded into reality when he raised Jesus from the dead and took him into heaven to sit next to him at his right hand. 21. This heavenly place and position took Jesus as God and man above any other force or realm of authority that can be named, whether on earth or in the heavens…and he has become the center of all consequence and meaning in the universe. Father led Jesus to a throne in the throne room, and sat him at his right hand, where the most glorious of all crowns was placed upon his head, which still bore the marks of the cruel wreath of thorns from his flogging. All the angels and all those who had come with him on the upward journey beheld their king in his place of honor. Those of the faithful company who had waited throughout time also took their places of honor in their new home and joined in the magnificent celebration. Jesus’ time in heaven for these celebrations was momentary, as he had left the tomb just before dawn and had to return to earth that same day. He would now spend forty days on earth to seal The Plan of his Father and see it implemented for the rest of time. At the end of those forty days he would return to heaven, and would begin his new mission upon the planet. Holy Spirit had accompanied Jesus every moment of his life on earth. He had joined himself to the human spirit of Jesus and had felt every feeling that Jesus had felt. He had known every one of his thoughts, and he had communicated every thought from Father God to him. Those thoughts became words in Jesus mouth, and Spirit caused those words to have life and power to all who heard Jesus speak. In this way Holy Spirit had also experienced life within humanity on the earth. In forty days time, after Jesus’ returned back to heaven Holy Spirit would become the bond between heaven and earth for all time. He would fall like rain from heaven upon the souls of mankind, seeking to awaken the spirit of humanity to the cosmic truth of what Jesus had done in joining mankind to God. This would now become the mission of God. Within the contradiction of the experience that we call human life, there would exist at one and the same time the cry for, and the resistance to, the oneness of spirit with God for which mankind was created. And within the human pain of this struggle would be found the cry of Holy Spirit wrestling to join the minds and hearts of people to God. This struggle and wrestle would exist throughout time as the Spiritual energy of God’s love that would never cease its activity in the hearts of humanity. It would be the sign of the divine heart exercising its love in the subduing of human nature that it might resonate with the nature of God. Whenever this truth would be embraced by a human heart, that heart would at last find itself at home, around the Family table, where it was destined eternally to be. That same day Jesus returned to earth in a glorified body that could never ever die again. Mark 16:9 After that, He appeared in another form (heteros morphe – an altered form or nature) to two of them as they walked and went into the country.It was without the constraints of a limited physical body, but it could be seen and recognized as a natural body. In this spiritual yet natural body Jesus could appear anywhere and at any time. He could feel and be touched, could breathe and eat, and walk and talk, all of which he did when he resumed his earthly visit. He came back and saw again the bewilderment and confusion in this world of uncertainty that people cling to so fervently, and he wanted to see all this change. He arrived in Jerusalem and heard that the temple priests had fabricated a story that his body had been stolen by the disciples and that they had overcome the temple guards and raided the tomb. He also heard that his disciples were still doubting that he had risen from the dead, even though some of them had come to the tomb and seen it empty, and some women had spoken to the angels. He set off walking from Jerusalem in the direction of Galilee, where he had said he would meet with his disciples. It was then that he saw the two men walking together in serious discussion and he recognized them (these were the men mentioned in that Scripture about Jesus appearing in another form). They were men who had often come to listen to him and ask questions along with the other disciples. He greeted them and joined them as they walked, but Holy Spirit had supernaturally veiled their eyes from recognizing him. He listened as they spoke and detected the same mood of bewilderment, if not depression, that seemed to be hanging over everybody. He politely commented that they seemed to be bothered about something that was going on locally, and he asked what that might be. The one called Cleopas gave Jesus a puzzled look and said to Jesus that he must be the only visitor in Jerusalem that hadn’t heard about what had happened. So when Jesus asked Cleopas to spell out what he meant the two men smiled at each other and the other man began to patiently explain about the man called Jesus, a great man whom they had both followed and believed in. They enthusiastically recounted some of the miracles he had worked, and that he was a prophet, the greatest of them all. Cleopas broke in and added that Jesus stood up for justice, and taught them about God. They thought he was going to turn the world upside down and make everything new for them. Jesus pushed them further for more details and they said they had expected that there would be freedom and prosperity for the Jews for a start. There was a pause, then one of them gave a sigh and told Jesus how the temple priests had convicted Jesus as a criminal and how he was crucified by Pontius Pilate, and that today was the third day since these things happened. When Jesus asked them to explain the significance of the third day the two men looked at one another awkwardly and one of them shrugged and said that the man Jesus had said he would rise from the dead after three days. Cleopas took up the story again and explained that some of the women even went to the tomb and found it empty and reported they saw two angels who said he was alive, and that some of his very own disciples also went to the tomb and found it empty. He too shrugged as he finished talking. Jesus nodded and remained silent for a few paces as he walked alongside the two men. He then very pointedly asked them why on earth they didn’t just believe what they had been told by Jesus himself. The other man condescendingly and a little impatiently, replied that they hadn't seen anything, so what were they expected to believe? It was then that Jesus quietly declared to them that the time was coming when they would believe even though they didn’t see. He then began to speak about all the Scriptures concerning himself. He spoke in detail of the Plan of Father to send The Son into the world. He taught them from the words of Scripture about prophesies which outlined the details of his birth, and his life and death, and his resurrection. Something happened in their hearts as they listened to him, and the time flew by, and the next thing they knew they were close to Emmaus, which was their destination. They didn't want Jesus to stop talking so they appealed to him to stay with them, even though he told them he was going further. They asked him to at least stay and have a meal, so Jesus accepted their offer. During the meal Jesus took some bread, and gave thanks for it, and as he broke the bread their eyes were opened and immediately they recognized who he was. This was the ordinary, extraordinary moment, sitting at a table, life happening, very natural yet very spiritual, eye to eye heart to heart. Jesus heard Father speaking to him from heaven, telling him that this was the way it was going to be. Holy Spirit would be the one who would open their eyes to see him and know him as he really was, and that was the way The Plan would be implemented from heaven to earth. Jesus then heard Holy Spirit whisper to him; “People will speak the truth about you, and I will reveal you to them.” The next moment Jesus vanished from their sight After Jesus vanished from their sight the two men decided to go back into Jerusalem and find the disciples who were in hiding, afraid of what was going to happen to them because of the rumors that were going about that they had stolen Jesus’ body. They found them and were whisked inside and the doors were locked behind them. They told them of their journey with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and their miraculous meal with him where he had suddenly vanished. The disciples were ecstatic that Jesus was back from the dead, and while they were still talking Jesus appeared in their midst while the doors remained locked. The disciples panicked, and thought they were seeing a ghost, but Jesus explained to them that he was not a ghost because a ghost didn’t have bones and flesh, and he asked them to touch his hands and his feet and to see for themselves. Jesus stretched forth his hands and his peace hit their hearts. He breathed his Spirit upon them and they received the impartation of his peace. That peace is also the air we can breathe and other people can catch that from those who live and breathe this life within them. They immediately felt at one with Jesus and with each other. But this was just a mere foretaste of what was to come, as it would only be after his final ascension and being seated at the right hand of Father that Holy Spirit would be sent to dwell within them. On the day of Pentecost Holy Spirit would be sent from Father and from himself upon all humanity. He could still see their bewilderment, and he knew he had to convince them in some ordinary way that he was real and alive again. So he asked them if he could have something to eat. James scurried to the fire and brought back some steamed fish, and some honeycomb, and held the mixed platter out at arm's length as Jesus accepted it and ate it with gusto. He looked around the room and noticed that Thomas was not amongst them. He asked them why they didn't go to Galilee where he said he would be going to meet them. They shuffled about without giving an answer, and Jesus told them he would see them in a few days at Galilee, and he vanished once more. The disciples gathered at Galilee where they used to gather in the large boat shed that belonged to James and John's fisherman father, where they tended to the boats and net repairs. It was situated snugly in a grove overlooking the beach. Peter had been waiting with the others and had then become restless and asked James and John to come fishing with him to get some food for Jesus to eat. While the three were out fishing Jesus suddenly appeared to the others as they sat patiently, waiting for his arrival. When Thomas saw Jesus appear he walked hesitatingly towards him and stopped in front of him. Jesus knew that Thomas had not believed that he had risen, even after the other disciples had said that they had seen him. Jesus held out his hands towards Thomas and told him to touch his hands where the nails had pierced, and to touch his side where the Centurion’s lance had entered his side. Thomas broke down and wept, and told Jesus that he believed. Jesus gently acknowledged his faith, that in seeing and touching he now believed. He went on to tell Thomas that there would be many who will believe without even seeing him and that they would be greatly blessed for that kind of faith. Jesus comforted him and he disappeared again. Jesus appeared to them again one morning after seven of them had been out fishing all night and had caught nothing. He stood on the shore and watched them fishing but they didn't realize that it was him. He shouted out to the fishermen from the shore, asking them if they had yet caught anything. A disgruntled ‘No’ came from Peter to this expert on the seashore, who responded to Peter by telling him to cast his net on the other side of the boat. Peter was about to explode when he heard John cry out that the expert on the seashore was indeed Jesus, The Lord. Peter then yelled to the others to do what Jesus had said. So they threw the nets to the other side and began to pull so many fish into the boat that they could hardly keep the boat afloat. But by this time Peter had plunged into the sea, swimming for all his might to get to his friend on the seashore, leaving the crew on the boat to work together on the haul. When Peter lurched his way up onto the shore he headed straight for Jesus and collapsed in front of him. He saw that Jesus had already prepared a fire with burning coals and had fish and toasted bread ready for them to eat. He didn't ask Jesus how he got the fish. Jesus reached down and helped Peter into a sitting position and told him to go and get some more fish from the catch so they could make breakfast for the others. After they had all enjoyed breakfast together Jesus called Peter aside. He knew there were things that had to be said between them. Peter’s soul was in a turmoil of regrets, shame and guilt. Time and again he had asked himself why he didn’t stand up for Jesus instead of disowning him three times when he was asked if he knew him, and could that have made a difference? He had remembered when the rooster crowed that Jesus had predicted that he would do just that. What was Jesus going to say to him now – would Jesus disown him, even rebuke him three times? But Jesus asked Peter three times, in three different ways whether or not Peter loved him. The love of Jesus owned Peter, and Peter passionately gave himself up to the ownership of God’s love. As a true representation of a flawed humanity owned by God’s love, Peter was mercifully forgiven and accepted. It was also this moment that owned him, not the past, or uncertainty of the future. This would also continue to be his greatest gift to God, the giving of each moment. After having his spirit and soul fed with this Word of love from Jesus, repeated three times, Peter was commissioned three times to feed God’s lambs and feed his sheep. As Peter would go on in life, he would face his many imperfections, and he would learn to return to each present moment, as in that special moment, where he could surrender to the ownership of love, shed his fears, and grow in faith as a participator in God’s nature. Jesus met with hundreds of people over those forty days, but on the final day he gathered with just over a hundred of his disciples and followers, including his mother. Jesus then took the eleven disciples aside to give them some final instructions. He told them to go into Jerusalem and to wait for Holy Spirit’s empowerment. They were to wait in the same room in which he celebrated the Passover feast with them, the night he was taken captive. He then told them about the fulfillment of The Plan. Jesus explained to them that Father had always wanted to have a family of sons and daughters to share his love with them - the same way that Father had shared his love with Jesus himself. Lucifer had tried to block this Plan from the beginning of time by blinding the mind of humanity with darkness, causing a chasm of separation from the living God to exist in their minds and to devise independence in their souls. But Jesus had overpowered darkness and Holy Spirit would come to them and bring them the power of the life that he now lived. He told them he would join their lives to his risen life and they would become one in Spirit with him. Holy Spirit would take Father’s love, and his own words, and place them in the hearts of men and women, as a deep consciousness of indwelling abiding life. He told them they would together be as his body in the World, and each in their own way, gifted with grace and faith from Heaven. People and things that happened around them would change, as they themselves became more and more changed into being more like him. A dazzling light shone within a billowing white cloud above them. Jesus turned to them all and raised his hands in blessing. He did not need to say goodbye. As he began to rise slowly heavenwards he was enveloped in the cloud, and as they stood together looking into the cloud that had taken him they saw the shining figures of Michael and Gabriel standing to one side (Acts 1:10). Gabriel told them that the same cloud that they saw taking Jesus into eternity would also bring him back one day - in total glory and triumph, and The Plan will have been fulfilled.    

When Thomas is filled with doubt, Jesus invites him to touch his hands. Even after glorification, his scars remain. Dr. James tells us his own miraculous story of being healed from brain damage and encourages that the scars are signs to point others to Jesus. Subscribe to the latest sermons: http://bit.ly/2DpQv9Q We’d love to meet you and get you involved at HTBB, go to htbb.org/connect to see where you can volunteer! Stay in touch with all that’s going on! HTBB FB: http://bit.ly/2davNdH HTBB Instagram: http://bit.ly/2BicFot HTBB Twitter: http://bit.ly/2EYfxJw HTBB Youtube: http://bit.ly/2F0HyjR1

  Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to something and tell me what I am like." Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a just messenger." Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher." Thomas said to him, "Teacher, my mouth is utterly unable to say what you are like." Jesus said​, "I am not your teacher. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring that I have tended." And he took him, and withdrew, and spoke three sayings to him. When Thomas came back to his friends they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?" Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the sayings he spoke to me, you will pick up rocks and stone me, and fire will come from the rocks and devour you" The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas

On this week’s Vergecast interview, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to finance professor and an economist at the NYU stern school of business Thomas Philippon. Thomas just wrote a book called The Great Reversal: How America Gave Up on Free Markets all about competition and consolidation in different markets. When Thomas moved to the United States from France in the 90s, he noticed everything from laptops to internet access was cheaper in America, but over time has gotten more and more expensive. In the interview Nilay and Thomas discuss why that is — unsurprisingly the answer is consolidation in a lot of our markets. Thomas makes a point that in some places, concentrations are actually good and creates value for the consumers, but in some markets like healthcare, technology, and airtravel, that consolidation has resulted in way higher prices for Americans. Since the prices go up slowly, we don’t actually notice. If you have been listening to The Vergecast and been paying attention to our big conversations about whether or not we should be breaking up big tech companies, whether we should regulate them, or whether tech companies with network effects like Google and Facebook are different than companies like AT&T and GE, this conversation is up your alley. Below is lightly edited except of the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The earthly ministry of Jesus didn't end at the cross. He continued to minister for 40 days after His resurrection and before His ascension into Heaven. In John 20, we see the Resurrected Jesus speaking directly to His disciples in the midst of their issues. The disciples were afraid after Christ's death. In the middle of their need, Jesus showed up and said: "peace be with you." When Thomas was doubting, Jesus said, "stop doubting and believe." These same words resonate with us today! In the midst of our fears and our doubts, Jesus shows up in our lives, if we allow Him. He imparts his peace and removes our doubts Don't forget to like NLCC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/visitnewlifecc/

2nd Sunday of Easter Is it wrong to question God?  Is wanting to know how or why something happened considered a weakness or lack of faith, or even a sin?  In the Gospel today Jesus appears to His apostles, but Thomas isn't there.  When Thomas comes back and all of the others are claiming that Jesus is risen, he refuses to believe unless he sees it himself.  Is that wrong of him?  I think not!  

Thomas Mitchell is a Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Real Estate and Community Development Law Program at Texas A&M University. An amazing thing has happened in modern history and that's the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. Thomas has been working for over 15 years to get a real estate partitions law updated with regards to heirs property. For decades, rightful landowners have lost their land due to unfair practices, but that has all changed now. Find out more on today's episode.   Key Takeaways: [1:40] A message from Leadership Nature. [2:25] A quick intro about Thomas's background. [3:40] How did Thomas first get started in land retention and land rights? [8:55] What was the process Thomas went through to change the direction of what law he wanted to practice in? [11:55] When Thomas described to his colleague what he wanted to do, his colleague said it was career suicide. [13:25] Thomas is so glad he didn't listen to him because he knows he made the right decision. [16:00] What kinds of issues do people face with heirs' properties? [24:25] When people have inherited property over the generations, a lot of times the property lacks clear ownership titles and that ends up creating a murky lens for the courts on who owns what. [28:00] Real estate developers will often contact a distant relative that owns possibly 1% of the land and try to convince them to do a partition by sale agreement, and by doing this, heirs can lose their entire share. [30:40] On top of this, the courts are using the wrong analysis to determine the worth of the land. [38:10] What has the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act has accomplished? [43:55] When Thomas received word his proposal was being selected, he almost fell out of his chair! [47:25] What parts of the partition law will be changed due to this act? [55:20] Many Americans do not make wills for their family. For African American families specifically, only 15% of them have a will. [1:03:40] What results has Thomas seen so far? [1:10:50] Thomas did not do this alone! He credits the network of people who have helped make this possible.   Mentioned in This Episode: Law.tamu.edu Thomas on LinkedIn

The Maze Runner Part 2James DashnerIf you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.Everything is going to change.Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.Remember. Survive. Run.Goodreads.com---This is Epilagers. A book club for Fantasy-Fiction and Nerd-like reading where we crack open our beer as we crack open our books. Shay and Jay explore new and old books in a two part series so that you, the readers and listeners, can experience the books with us. Spoiler Warning!We will be discussing the book in detail, revealing plot points and the ending, so if you just can’t bear to be hit with spoilers you better read and come back later.This year we are selecting books in the genre “Dystopian Culture”, which will include titles like the Maze Runner, Delirium, the Mortal Engines, Ender’s Game, Bartimaeus Amulet of Samarkand, and more.Part 1, the Prologue, we discuss how we’re enjoying the style and set up of the plot, discuss how we want the narration to develop, and make hopeful and possibly outrageous plot predictions based on the first 25% of the book. Part 2, the Epilogue, will be a quick summary of the book and many discussion topics all with book spoilers and out thoughts on the plot. So Spoiler haters beware! Join us on our journey and remember the best way to tackle Adulthood is with a book in one hand and a beer in the other. If you could give us a rating and review in your podcast app that helps us grow and build an amazing audience to share our love for fantasy with. Thank you for joining us on this journey!Find us on Twitter and Instagram @EpilagersPod or join the discussion with the hashtag #EpilagersFollow Jinx @memeowJinx our demon cat mascotThank you for the creative commons license so that we may use this artist's song for our intro music:Cold Funk - Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Artist: http://incompetech.com/

The Maze Runner Part 1James DashnerIf you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.Everything is going to change.Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.Remember. Survive. Run.Goodreads.com---This is Epilagers. A book club for Fantasy-Fiction and Nerd-like reading where we crack open our beer as we crack open our books. Shay and Jay explore new and old books in a two part series so that you, the readers and listeners, can experience the books with us. Spoiler Warning!We will be discussing the book in detail, revealing plot points and the ending, so if you just can’t bear to be hit with spoilers you better read and come back later.This year we are selecting books in the genre “Dystopian Culture”, which will include titles like the Maze Runner, Delirium, the Mortal Engines, Ender’s Game, Bartimaeus Amulet of Samarkand, and more.Part 1, the Prologue, we discuss how we’re enjoying the style and set up of the plot, discuss how we want the narration to develop, and make hopeful and possibly outrageous plot predictions based on the first 25% of the book. Part 2, the Epilogue, will be a quick summary of the book and many discussion topics all with book spoilers and out thoughts on the plot. So Spoiler haters beware! Join us on our journey and remember the best way to tackle Adulthood is with a book in one hand and a beer in the other. If you could give us a rating and review in your podcast app that helps us grow and build an amazing audience to share our love for fantasy with. Thank you for joining us on this journey!Find us on Twitter and Instagram @EpilagersPod or join the discussion with the hashtag #EpilagersFollow Jinx @memeowJinx our demon cat mascotThank you for the creative commons license so that we may use this artist's song for our intro music:Cold Funk - Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Artist: http://incompetech.com/

When Thomas finally meets the risen Christ, his remarks are very telling.

Baked and Awake Episode 55 Intro to Nag Hammadi Library   Disclaimer: Slightly raunchy Promos aside, the Baked and Awake show isn’t super explicit, but we do smoke weed on the show.  Find our show on damagedgoodsinc.com. Support the show on Patreon if you want. Email me and visit my website, bakedandawake.com Thanks to my Patreon Supporters including Bones and Tubs, and TopTree, for their continued support of the Podcast. International Business Exchange w Josh Kinkade- Sept 24th in DT Seattle Pet Overload and Blue Pearl Animal Hospital- Thank you for caring for our little Birdie. Rest in Peace Ceelo- we hardly knew you but you were loved Intro to the Nag Hammadi Library   From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nag_Hammadi_library   Notes on Sources, Translation, and Interpretation of the referenced Gospel of Thomas: Why do I care? Do I agree? Do I believe? Does that matter? Read it yourself. Listen to it, or read more than once. These gospels remind me personally in a number of ways, of the Tao Te Ching.  Some key passages, statements red awkwardly, or troublesome. The text is incomplete, multiple translations do exist, personal insight may be greater. Is Jesus a historical figure, or a character created out of whole cloth, raised to the status of a myth, and finally the Godhead, all in the service of a re branded version of a belief system older than civilization itself? Today we will read about the discovery of these incredible, 3rd to 4th Century texts, written on papyrus and stored, hidden in a cave in an earthen jar for all these thousands of years until their discovery, finally, in the early 20th Century- but even then not without drama, damage, and loss. From there, I will introduce you to the first 33 sayings in The Gospel of Thomas, said to be direct sayings of Jesus of Nazareth himself. If you enjoy this episode, and I’ll know by the download numbers, I may read the remaining 70 odd sayings, completing the text, on the next episode of the podcast.   The Nag Hammadi Library The Gospel of Thomas   Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin (Visit the Gospel of Thomas Collection for additional information and other translations) _____________________________________   These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down. (1) And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death." (2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All." (3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." (4) Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are first will become last, and they will become one and the same." (5) Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you . For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest." (6) His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?" Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered." (7) Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man." (8) And he said, "The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." (9) Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on the good soil and it produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure and a hundred and twenty per measure." (10) Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes." (11) Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. In the days when you consumed what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to dwell in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?" (12) The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader?" Jesus said to them, "Wherever you are, you are to go to James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being." (13) Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like." Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel." Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher." Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying whom you are like." Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out." And he took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?" Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up." (14) Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you." (15) Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, prostrate yourselves on your faces and worship him. That one is your father." (16) Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I have come to cast upon the world. They do not know that it is dissension which I have come to cast upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there will be five in a house: three will be against two, and two against three, the father against the son, and the son against the father. And they will stand solitary." (17) Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind." (18) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be." Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death." (19) Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he came into being. If you become my disciples and listen to my words, these stones will minister to you. For there are five trees for you in Paradise which remain undisturbed summer and winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes acquainted with them will not experience death." (20) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the kingdom of heaven is like." He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky." (21) Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?" He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." (22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom." They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?" Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom." (23) Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one." (24) His disciples said to him, "Show us the place where you are, since it is necessary for us to seek it." He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness." (25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye." (26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brother's eye, but you do not see the beam in your own eye. When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye." (27) "If you do not fast as regards the world, you will not find the kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the father." (28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent." (29) Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty." (30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him." (31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him." (32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden." (33) Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."   NEXT TIME: Respect my Region neighborhood cleanup- Central District Facebook Hacked again FB Abusing two part authentication DEA reschedules CBD?  Not exactly..   Finally, if you’re listening to this podcast, and you’ve made it this far, this is a message for anyone in my audience who works for an I-502 retailer anywhere in WA State.  The Garden I serve as Director of Sales for, Tier III Producer Processor Weed Plus Tacoma, is actively looking for accounts. This is a straight up appeal to those of you who are Budtenders, Retail Managers, Business Owners, or friends of any of those people- to PLEASE get in touch with me, as we are having a very challenging time acquiring new stores. I welcome your tips, leads on shops to contact, or to deliver samples to. I know our flower is good, and our prices are competitive, but we need your help to get this new brand of Weed Plus off the ground. Please reach out to me personally at info@weedplustacoma.com, and thank you for listening to this message.   Our Website: www.bakedandawake.com   Email: talktous@bakedandawake   Rss: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/rss   Libsyn Podcast Page: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/   Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bakedandawakepodcast   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/stevecominski (@baked_and_awake)   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/baked_and_awake/   Teepublic: https://www.teepublic.com/user/bakedandawake   Episode ambient Music generously provided by Antti Luode, as posted to reddit:   https://www.reddit.com/r/gamedev/comments/6y699a/i_have_released_my_1363_songs_free_under_creative/   @baked_and_awake @daddyissuezshow @damagedgoodstheshow @claymiles #bakedandawakeshow #smokeindicadoshitanyway #podcastbuildersleague #damagedgoodsnetwork #daddyissuez #Shade #LilyBongwater #sexy #listen #subscribe #laugh #nofilter #noboundaries #nosafewords #trypod #PodernFamily #DGN #comedy #entertainment #explicit #damagedgoodstheshow #BetaTesting #mattungermah #claytimeinthebasement #thc #GoldenGod #sithlord #fireballjesus #startedfromthebottom #newDaddyissuez.libsyn.comDamagedgoods.libsyn.comClaytimeinthebasement.libsyn.com https://ntspodcast.podbean.com/ Www.Damagedgoodsinc.com

For nearly 3 decades, Thomas o' Keefe was known in the NC Triangle area as the bassist for punk rock legends Antiseen.  When Thomas decided to put the bass down for just a bit, his life took him in a totally different direction. Currently out on the road as the tour manager for Weezer, Thomas […]

For those of you who either read her book or were able to come and hear Jacqueline Bussie in February, you will remember she talked about the many unspoken “rules” or “laws” Christians so often feel they must obey, rules that are often more harmful than helpful.  Bussie urges us to be Outlaw Christians and break some of those rules.  She describes Outlaw Christianity as a new, life-giving faith for those who ache for a more authentic relationship with God and other people by no longer having to hide their doubt, anger, grief, scars, or questions.  Jacqueline says that one of the unspoken laws people tend to follow is this:  Don’t doubt.  Doubt is faith’s opposite and is therefore sinful.  She suggests most people have grown up believing this very harmful rule.  Bussie then reminds us, as theologian Paul Tillich did, that doubt is a very necessary element in faith.  In fact, a living faith includes doubt and such doubt requires risk and courage.  Bussie, when talking about doubt being a good and necessary element in faith, writes: How can doubt, rooted as it is in uncertainty, be a good thing, or at the very least an acceptable thing?  For starters, we should acknowledge and name the doubt within us because, much like snot and passing gas, doubt is natural and human – that is to say, embarrassing and unwelcome but real and impossible to be healthy without, much as we want to pretend otherwise.  But more than just natural, doubt is also necessary, healthy, and good for our faith life.  Doubt functions as a robust spiritual virtue, rather than faith’s wimpy opposite. (Outlaw Christian, p.50) Well, in today’s gospel, we come face to face with doubt.   And, while doubt comes to the forefront in the story of Thomas, the truth is that all the disciples were experiencing doubt.  You see, it is the day of the resurrection and here we find the disciples sitting in a room behind locked doors because of fear, doubt, and quite likely more than a little shame.  They have blown it completely, they are hiding in fear, and they are doubting everything their master had said.  And, what I find so fascinating is that, in the gospel of John, when Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection, nobody initially recognizes him.  Notice in the beginning of today’s reading, the disciples do not recognize him until Jesus shows them his hands and side.  They all doubted him!  They doubted it was Jesus!  It is only after Jesus shows them his hands and side that the disciples rejoice because they have seen the Lord.  While the other disciples also have experienced doubt, for some strange reason, only Thomas gets labeled “doubter.”  Far too often we judge Thomas because of his doubt.  We need to cut him some slack and give him a break.  In Thomas we find the yearning of one who wants to see with his eyes and touch with his hands that of which he has been told.  He has real questions, real concerns, and a desire for a real encounter with the risen Lord.  I think the story of Thomas captures our hearts and minds because we, too, were absent to the Resurrection experience two thousand years ago.  When faced with the mystery of the Resurrection, the story of Thomas names that part in each of us that wants to scream out, “Show me!” Thomas has just had a very harsh encounter with reality.  Reality had hit hard in the form of a cross when his dear friend had been crucified.  And, when he fled that horrible scene, not only had Jesus died, Thomas’ hopes and dreams had also died.  Jesus’ crucifixion had destroyed his hopes for the future and very poignantly reminded him that there is an end.  And, it is the same for us.  When the harsh realities of life hit us – whether it be the death of a family member, the loss of a job, an unexpected illness, a broken relationship, or whatever – reality deeply cuts into our hopes, our dreams, the very fabric of our relationships, and we are reminded that there is an end.  There is an end over which we have no control as we feel we have been taken captive by an extremely cruel conqueror.  And, we usually experience doubt! The reality that sliced into his hopes and dreams left Thomas emotionally bleeding and broken.  As he again joins the community of disciples, within the context of those who proclaim Jesus is alive, Thomas lays bare his doubt.  He is very honest about his doubt as he says, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.”  In the depth of his despair Thomas articulates his doubt, and it is in that place where he is now confronted with the risen Christ.  It is in that place of despair that Thomas is greeted by the risen Lord whose presence exudes forgiveness and grace as he hears the words, “Peace be with you.”  In that moment, Thomas knows he is in the presence of God and he believes.  Theologian, David Lose, describes the experience of Thomas in this way: When Thomas is greeted by the forgiveness and grace embodied in the words, “Peace be with you,” he instantly believes and makes the great confession of John’s gospel: “My Lord and my God!”  In a heartbeat Thomas knows that he is in the presence of God, has been saved and redeemed by that God, and that he will never be the same again.  Thomas lays bare his doubt which takes him to this encounter with the grace of God, embodied and enfleshed in the risen Lord Jesus.  Doubt drives him to question and it takes him to this place where he is encountered by the risen Lord and his entire reality is changed.  Wow!!  Did you get that?  Reality itself has changed.  The despairing Thomas does not escape from the real world and there is not a break from the tangible reality of the world.  No.  But, there is something very different, something very, very new.  God’s grace and God’s kingdom have invaded the real world, transformed it and nothing will ever be the same again.  I think Thomas experiences Easter in the way many of us begin to experience it.  Thomas finally gets Easter when he brings forth his questions. He wants to see and touch. He wants tangible proof and needs his own encounter before he can trust the story.  It is doubt that compels Thomas to ask the questions and it is doubt that takes him to the place where he is looking for what is really real and what truly matters.  You see, without doubt, our faith is shallow and rootless.  We fail to go down deep.  And, quite honestly, if we do not express doubts and have only certainty, it closes us off to the newness that we so long for.  Doubt is a sign of a healthy and deep-rooted faith, though most of us are taught to believe the opposite.  And, when doubt takes us to the deeper places in faith our reality changes.  We are transformed and our perspective on all of life changes. The story of Thomas and doubt is one of the most compelling, believable, realistic stories in the Bible because it is our story.  Doubt is an element of faith because it gives birth to the questions that arise which take us to the deeper places in life.  So, be honest about your doubt.  Doubt functions as a robust spiritual virtue, rather than faith’s wimpy opposite.  In fact, doubt and the questions that arise are the heartbeat of our faith!   They enable us to be open to the newness of the risen Christ.   And, the risen Christ is always breaking into our doubt and the questions we ask, transforming our lives and making us new.  Christ is risen!  Christ is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

March 22nd, 2018 Abigail Wiggins lead us through the final chapter and part of our Philippians series looking at Philippians 4. Discussion Questions: When you hear the words true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or praise-worthy, what comes to mind? Are these things you think about often (dwell on, Phil 4:18)? Why or why not? Where have you let wounds (scar tissue) keep you from loving people or becoming a better friend? When Thomas asked Jesus for proof of His scars, He (Jesus) showed him. From this interaction, do you think we should be afraid to voice our doubts to God? Why/ why not? What are areas in life where you might need to slow down and acknowledge that God is still working on your story? What does this look like practically for you?

The name Thomas comes from the Aramaic name Ta'oma', meaning twin. When Thomas is introduced to the Maze, he himself is an emotional and psychological maze...and in this labyrinth, he finds his twin! How about that for shoehorning in a metaphor?! Doesn't it feel good to be learning new things? In this dizzying episode, the Sesh begins to tackle The Maze Runner trilogy, starting with it's first chapter, obviously! Jay and AJ discuss the quality of young actors in the film's cast, the logistics of the maze itself and whether the story is a satisfying, self-contained movie on its own. So settle in to your hammock, get your popcorn and fire juice and enjoy our Maze Runner Sesh!   Email us with questions, comments, corrections or escape maps at cinemasesh@gmail.com Follow us as we document our movie watching sprees! http://www.twitter.com/CinemaSesh  http://www.instagram.com/cinemasesh/ 

Velma Margie (Bullard) Barfield was born on October 23, 1932, in rural South Carolina. She was the second oldest child of nine and oldest daughter to Murphy and Lillie Bullard. Murphy was a small tobacco and cotton farmer. Soon after Velma's birth, the family had to give up the farm and move in with Murphy's parents in Fayetteville. Murphy's father and mother died not long afterward and the family remained in Murphy's parents' house. Murphy and Lillie Bullard Murphy Bullard was a strict disciplinarian. Homemaker Lillie was submissive and did not interfere with how he treated their nine children. Velma did not inherit her mother's same submissive ways which resulted in several severe strap beatings by her father. In 1939 when she began attending school, she found some reprieve from being inside her cramped, volatile home. Velma also proved to be a bright, attentive student but socially rejected by her peers because of her impoverished style. Velma began stealing after feeling poor and inadequate around the other kids at school. She began by stealing coins from her father and was later caught stealing money from an elderly neighbor. Velma's punishment was severe and temporarily cured her from stealing. Her time was also more supervised and she was told she had to help with taking care of her sisters and brothers. A Skilled Manipulator By the age of 10, Velma learned how to control talking back to her stern father. She also became a decent baseball player and played on a team her father organized. Enjoying her "favorite daughter" status, Velma learned how to manipulate her father to get what she wanted. Later in life, she accused her father of molesting her as a child, although her family strongly denied her charges. Velma and Thomas Burke Around the time Velma entered high school her father took a job in a textile factory and the family moved to Red Springs, SC. Her grades were poor but she proved to be a good basketball player. She also had a boyfriend, Thomas Burke, who was a year ahead of her in school. Velma and Thomas dated under the strict curfews set by Velma's father. At age 17, Velma and Burke decided to quit school and marry, over the strong objections of Murphy Bullard. In December 1951, Velma gave birth to a son, Ronald Thomas. By September 1953, she gave birth to their second child, a girl they named Kim. Velma, a stay-at-home mom, loved the time she spent with her children. Thomas Burke worked at different jobs and although they were poor, they had the basic comforts. Velma was also dedicated to teaching her children solid Christian values. The young, poor Burke family was admired by friends and family for their good parenting skills. A Model Mother Velma Burke's enthusiasm for being an involved mother continued when the children began school. She participated in school-sponsored events, volunteered to chaperone school trips, and enjoyed driving children to various school functions. However, even with her participation, she felt emptiness while her children were at school. To help fill the void she decided to return to work. With the extra income, the family was able to move into a better home in Parkton, South Carolina. In 1963, Velma had a hysterectomy. The surgery was successful physically but mentally and emotionally Velma changed. She suffered severe mood swings and temper tantrums. She worried she was less desirable and womanly since she could no longer have children. When Thomas joined the Jaycees, Velma's resentment soared because of his outside activities. Their problems intensified when she discovered he was drinking with his friends after the meetings, something he knew she was against. Booze and Drugs: In 1965, Thomas was in a car accident and had a concussion. From that point on he suffered severe headaches and his drinking increased as a way to deal with his pain. The Burke household became...

Thomas Schneider is the founder of Rooftop Roots, a non-profit organization that designs, builds, and maintains vegetable gardens and native landscapes in the DC area. When Thomas first started the organization, his idea was to build vegetable gardens on rooftops of buildings in DC. But after experimenting for a while, … Continue reading The post What To Do When Your Entrepreneurial Idea Didn’t Work Out First appeared first on Founders Nextdoor.

Download This Awesome Podcast: http://bit.ly/2VOC5Zt Thomas was born and raised in Ruston, Louisiana and received a B.S. degree in Marketing from Louisiana Tech University. He was blessed to marry Cindy, a native of Chattanooga, and they have called Chattanooga home since 2004. Thomas and Cindy have been further blessed with the privilege to adopt three children; one domestic and two from Uganda. An active member and Elder at Hixson Presbyterian Church, Thomas is involved with teaching Youth, outreach opportunities, and strategic planning.   Professionally, Thomas' experience includes over 20 years as a Sales Account Manager for several distribution companies.In 2004, Thomas began his journey in real estate to earn additional income, but it quickly turned into a passion. Thomas has successfully invested in Chattanooga real estate for over 10 years. During this time, he has managed the acquisitions and renovations of new properties, as well as the property management portion of his business.  Thomas is also an agent with Keller Williams Realty.    When Thomas isn't looking at houses or talking about real estate, he enjoys time with his family, mountain biking, trail running, hiking and exposing his kids to the extraordinary beauty and diverse environment that Chattanooga offers.  GETTING STARTED: The catalysts: 1) “We read Rich Dad Poor Dad and started with buy and hold properties.” 2) “My father, one of the things he instilled in me was an investment mentality. He taught me investing early on, stocks, obviously owning tangible assets. He was a gold guy. So physical assets were what he always really preached to us.” 3) “When I was in college… We rented houses as students and we were paying our own rent… So I would see these old guys that all they would do is they had several rental houses. It looked like a really cool lifestyle.” DID YOU START AS AN AGENT OR INVESTOR: “We started as investors… I classify people as ‘I want to sell' or ‘I need to sell' and these people wanted to sell but they didn't have a need. They weren't distressed. They weren't in a financially crisis. So at the time I didn't have a solution for them. So I called my agent friends… and I didn't get a good response. …I'm a people pleaser and I like to help people so I was frustrated that I didn't have a solution for them. … So I got my license. ACTION STEPS: “You have to take ownership in what you are doing. You have to out work everyone else… Don't be afraid to make mistakes.” WORD TO LIVE BY: “First Corinthians 10:31 ‘Whatever you do, do for the glory of God…' I have that in my office because it goes back to the over arching theme of I want to be a good steward of what we've been given.” BEST WAY TO FIND THOMAS: www.ibuychattanoogahouses.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the third installment of our "Around The World In 80 Episodes" the Canadian Drunks visit the far off land of Switzerland! Who are we kidding? There is no budget to fly our hosts to such exotic locales so instead Rich "the Meister" Dillon and Wallygator enlist the assistance of some very special guests and good friends, Evelyne and Thomas Baumgartner as they guest host and program all the music for this weeks episode! When Thomas and Evelyne planned out a little Canadian vacation they contacted the Meister and informed him that on the top of their list of things to do whilst here in Canada was to taste some Rhythm & Brews Beer! Here at the CGCM Podcast, we make dreams come true! Then a thought occurred to us! Let's coerce them to co-host the show and program all the music for a Switzerland Around the World Episode. Sounded like a perfect idea to us, we could just sit back, drink beer and let them do all the heavy lifting. Hell, they were so nice they even brought us beer and treats from Switzerland! So tune in for bombshell after bombshell about Switzerland, their cheese, chocolate, tiny knives, All Porn (oops that's Alphorn) and a huge dose of Swiss Heavy Metal! All washed down with some Rhythm & Brews "Hefe Metal". So come join us the Canadian Geeks continue their quest around the world. Special Thanks to Evelyne and Thomas for the co-hosting sharing some awesome metal with us and also to Shane for the fart sound effects. CGCM Podcast - Home of Fart Metal!! On this Episode... Killer - Ladykiller Gloria Volt - Rollercoaster Crystal Ball - Paradise Marc Paganini - Berlin by Night Shakra - She's My Ecstasy Krokus - Heatstrokes Gotthard - Anytime Anywhere China (the band not the country) - Sign In The Sky Backwash - Legless Fast Lane - Real Tempesta - Swallow The Saint

When Thomas “melted-down” in the small town of only 600 people he felt as though everyone was talking about him and that he had become the town “monster.” So, following his move back to his parents’ home in a metro area, he began a remarkable journey of healing that led him to find hope through Fresh Hope. In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Thomas talks about his various diagnoses which include schizoaffective disorder and borderline personality disorder. He discloses the importance of researching and understanding your diagnosis and how medicine does 50% of the work, but you have to do the other 50% of it. Through researching his diagnoses, he became empowered to live well in spite of them. Anyone facing a serious mental health diagnosis will be greatly encouraged in hearing Thomas' journey to living well in spite of a mental health diagnosis. You don't want to miss this interview! After listening to this podcast, we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.   If you are listening to this podcast on iTunes, we encourage you to leave a comment regarding the podcast. Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site:  www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com Pastor Brad Hoefs, host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones. In other words, Fresh Hope is a Christian mental health support group.  Brad was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1995. He is a weekly blogger for www.bphope.com (Bipolar Magazine). He is also a certified peer specialist and has been doing pastoral counseling since 1985. Brad is also the author of Fresh Hope: Living Well in Spite of a Mental Health Diagnosis, which is available on Amazon or at: www.FreshHopeBook.com If you are interested in more information about Fresh Hope go to www.FreshHope.us or email info@FreshHope.us or call 402.932.3089. To donate to Fresh Hope, go to: http://freshhope.us/donate/  For a complete list of where Fresh Hope groups are presently meeting go to www.FreshHope.us and click on “find a group.”  Or you may attain an online group of meeting of Fresh Hope by going to www.FreshHopeMeeting.com If you are interested in starting a Fresh Hope group within your faith community contact Julie at Julie@FreshHope.us  Fresh Hope for Mental Health is a production of Fresh Hope Ministries.  Fresh Hope Ministries is a non-profit ministry.   The copyrights of this program belong to Fresh Hope Ministries and may not be duplicated without written permission.  All the podcasts of Fresh Hope Today as well as numerous other videos are all available on our YouTube channel: Fresh Hope Network Fresh Hope for Mental Health is on Facebook at  www.Facebook.com/FreshHopeforMentalHealth  

Sunday 9am John Luke Lee Kohler Revival The legacy of revival The complete service led by Nigel, including a sermon from Lee beginning around 15m20s into the recording.nnLessons from Thomasnn 1. nt 2. Luke 6:12-16. Be willing to leave everything and follow Jesus. To become an apostle of Jesus meant leaving your regular work and having no security of an income. The apostle would also be away from their family for long periods of time and were often persecuted. 3. nt 4. John 11:7-16. Live a life of courage. When Thomas said he was willing to die with Jesus, he meant it! Many years later, he would die the death of a martyr in India. 5. nt 6. John 14:1-7. Speak with honesty; be real. The other disciples probably didn't understand what Jesus was talking about but did not want to seem foolish by asking what Jesus meant. But Thomas sets the example by simply being real and the consequence is Jesus sharing what has arguably become the second most quoted verse in the Bible. 7. nt 8. John 20:24-28. Replace doubt with faith. This passage earned Thomas the reputation of being the doubter. However, he is the first of the disciples to now identify Jesus as God! Christians may have seasons of doubt but the important lesson we learn from Thomas is that such seasons can be overcome! Discovering Jesus' deity is pivotal to a believer growing in their faith. 9. n n - 58 Minutes long.

Welcome to the Elmhurst CRC Devotional Experience. It’s Thursday, the fifth day of Easter week Our scripture reading today comes from John 20:24-31 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Do you ever have doubts about what people are telling you? Perhaps the story that they are sharing is just too hard to believe. Perhaps he did catch a fish but it wasn’t that big! So what do we do with that doubt? If you are like me, you ask further questions to try and establish the truth or you ask for evidence, you want proof. And as you receive answers to your questions and proof of the story you start to see that something that was initially unbelievable becomes believable. I don’t think it was any different for Thomas. To think that Jesus had risen from the dead is understandably difficult to believe. I think so often he is given a bad rap for his doubt, in fact he is known to many as “Doubting Thomas”. And with that name often comes a negative connotation. If you were Thomas in this story, how would you have reacted to the disciples telling you they had seen the Risen Lord? Could it be possible that Thomas wanted to see for himself so that his faith could be his experience and not the experience of the other disciples? As the disciples had seen the light, he wanted to see it also. In doing so I believe he is shining a light for us to use as an example as a way for our faith to grow, to not be afraid to doubt but then pursue them and go find the answers. I know as a parent I want that for my children, I don’t want them to believe in Jesus because I do, I want them to know Him for themselves. I want them to experience His wonderful gift of life that He offers. When Thomas encounters Jesus for himself, Jesus does not bring condemnation but answers his doubts precisely. In touching the wounds of Jesus, Thomas is able to confess who is standing before him, “My Lord and My God.” May that be our experience as we encounter the living, risen Lord. May His light shine. May you be encouraged that any doubts about our faith, if we are willing to bring them into the light, can be met in Jesus. Find a dark or dim place nearby. Bring along five sources of light for the fifth day of our experience. As you turn on each light share a doubt that you have or a concern that is on your mind. If you are doing this as a family have everyone share a doubt and then turn on a light after each one. When all the lights are on, speak these words: “Out of the darkness of the tomb, the light is shining. Jesus is the light of the world.”

Once a protégé of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs (who signed Thomas after hearing him sing at an open mic night in New York in the mid – 90s), he was the first heartthrob R&B songster on Bad Boy Entertainment. Thomas is best known for his #1 R&B smash “I Wish” from the album So Emotional, which debuted in the Top 20 on Billboard and was a critical and commercial success, selling nearly 2 million copies. When Thomas crooned “I wish I had never met her,” with equal parts pleading and regret, women found his white wine cool vocals and Marvin Gaye meets Nat King Cole sex appeal irresistible, while guys immediately identified with his worldly yet around the way lyricism and spot on relationship observations. With a solid debut —also yielding the windswept hit single “Summer Rain”—Carl Thomas instantly transformed from a Chicago native son singing for his supper into both an in demand lothario and voice of masculine romance for an entire generation. However, it was his indefatigable passion and not industry position or fanfare that beckoned him back to the studio for his new album, Conquer.   It has been a long road back home. In 2004, on the eve of the release of his highly anticipated sophomore project, Let’s Talk About It, Thomas’ brother was murdered in Aurora, Illinois, the Chicago suburb where they grew up. Instead of basking in the glory and glamour of another hit album, a devastated Thomas left his career behind fled abroad and rendered himself incognito in the states—much to the chagrin of Combs. “Puff fought me on that one. But, we were at different points of communication at the time,” he says. Thomas also makes it clear that his eventual departure from the iconic the hip-hop/R&B label had nothing to do with the swirl of rumors that surfaced regarding the situation. 

After Thomas Black discovered the Whitcome grave, the church bell incident loomed large in his mind. He had been ready to dismiss the event entirely, but now he felt as though there was an intruder in the village, a prankster perhaps. Whoever it was, he was not welcome. The uncovering of the grave was deliberate, he was sure, and it had happened just when the village was settling back into its normal routine. When Thomas walked into his workshop that same afternoon, Jeffrey Mullins, his head carpenter and delivery man, greeted him with, "I see the ladies are chasing after you, boss." Thomas just made a quick questioning nod but said nothing. "Oh, she was a beauty," continued Mullins with a stupidly wide grin, his teeth surprisingly white against his rugged, tanned face. "Wasn't she Pat?" he called to a man across the room who didn't look up from his work, but who replied in a monotone voice, "Oh yeh, she was a beauty alright, if you like them old, fat, and ugly." Mullins cackled loudly and slapped his thigh. "Someone came to see me?" asked Thomas impatiently. "Yep, she said she'd be in the cafe," said Mullins, turning over a table. "Why couldn't she place an order with either of you?" continued Thomas. "It's not an order she wants boss," replied Mullins eyes wide theatrically, "she's after you." The cafe was empty when Thomas walked in. He could hear plates being stacked in the kitchen and a radio playing music. The room was warm, and smelled like fresh bread. A lady was sitting at a table in the far corner of the room looking right at him. He walked over, "Ma'm, Thomas Black. You wanted to see me?" She looked at him with beautiful, twinkly light blue eyes that searched his. "I'm sorry to take you away from your work, Mr. Black. But I have something tell you that might interest you. The name is Theo, Theo Whitcome. Please would you join me?" she said, offering him the chair opposite hers. Thomas said nothing but sat down. "I'm surprised we haven't met. I live on the outskirts of town; got a few acres with sheep and crops. It's a small farm, but it does me just fine. It used to be bigger mind you..." she trailed off and looked out of the window. The afternoon sun accentuated the deep lines on her face and made her very grey hair glow. "Yes, I'm a Whitcome. There's no problem with that. But the story about poor Peter is true, you know. He was jilted by the loveliest silly girl in town. Oh, it's no new story, and it happened more than a life time ago. But the heart of that poor young man broke so badly, it destroyed our family. It was the shame of it. It drove most of the Whitcome's away, what with the loss of business and having to sell most of our land. My parents stayed; they were second cousins." Thomas hung on her words. He had completely forgotten about work, and no longer felt any irritation. "So it was you who uncovered the grave?" he asked. "The Whitcome's grave you mean?" asked Theo. Thomas nodded. "Ah! I know the fool who did that," she said banging the table. "There could be more trouble coming to the village, Mr. Black. Do you have an ear that's ready to listen?"

The year 1999 will mark what is believed to be the 125th anniversary of the birth of Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas. When Thomas first recorded for the Vocalion label in the late 1920s, he was already over 50 years old and most assuredly was the eldest African-American performer ever to lay down tracks considered Blues music at the time. Thought to have been born in 1874 in Big Sandy, Texas, Henry was one of nine children by parents who were former slaves and sharecroppers raising cotton. Having a strong dislike for farming, Henry Thomas ran away from home as a teenager and struck upon the life of a hobo and street musician. He traveled by foot with his guitar slung over his shoulder or by the rails throughout most of Eastern Texas, occasionally making his way as far as Chicago. He was also believed to have performed at two World's Fairs crossing over the centuries, the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago and the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.