Stuff I Learned Yesterday

I would guess that John 3:16 is the most commonly known and quoted Bible verse, but perhaps the passage at the forefront of today’s episode would place second on that list. Today we’re looking at Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” We see this verse thrown out all the time by people when they feel like Christians are judging them. The Bible tells the Christian not to judge, therefore, the Christian is wrong when they proclaim something as sin or tell someone they should repent. Right? The post SILY 661- Who Are We To Judge? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the original Zelda game, Link can earn a new sword, the white sword, once he has expanded his health to five hearts. Once Link has twelve hearts, he is capable of wielding the most powerful sword in the game, the magical sword. In much the same way, as we adventure in our jobs, parenting, relationships, and all facets of life, we should be leveling up. We should be improving our skills, learning better methods, finding lessons in defeat, making notes for future battles, and investing in tools which will help us reach our ultimate goals. The post SILY 660- Lessons From Hyrule appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

According to Google AI, a Minimum Viable Product is a stripped-down version of a product or feature designed to be released early and get customer feedback. It focuses on the core functionality necessary to address a key customer need and allow for rapid iteration and learning. Essentially, it's a way to test an idea with the least amount of effort and cost before investing heavily in a full-fledged product. FAR too often our desire for perfection turns into fear of failure. We never launch. Perhaps whether we know it or not we have a great MVP, we just don’t ever let it get off the bench and enter the game. The post SILY 659- Becoming the MVP appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We thought we had set up a college savings plan for each of our kids but we were wrong. The reality was that we'd only receive a fraction of the amount of money that we expected. We’d been scammed. The post SILY 658- Turning Brick Walls into Brick Paths appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Christian friends, we must remember that political movements are not the main thing. The Jews of Jesus’ time refused to believe he was the Messiah in part because they expected the Messiah to be a political hero that would rescue them from Roman occupation. But Jesus was never here for those man-made systems, or to use a phrase from a recent episode, those man-made kingdoms. Jesus was focused on bringing people into his kingdom, and so should we. The post SILY 657- Avoiding Stray Dogs appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

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

Jean-Jacques Rousseau famously said, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.” He’s right. Patience is bitter. As I look back on those times now, I see so much growth that happened in the waiting. Jean-Jacques Rousseau IS right. Not only is patience bitter but its fruit is truly sweet. Those years between buyer and director shaped me and prepared me for my future. The skills I acquired, the relationships I fostered, and the person I became during that time ended up making me uniquely qualified and prepared for the next phase of my career.  The post SILY 655- Lessons in the Waiting appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Unlike the annoying barn swallows occupying my porch, my son has flown from the nest never to return. He’s spread his wings, experienced the freedom and independence that comes with that stage of life, and he is perfectly content to navigate those waters on his own. He knows full well that we were just a phone call away and less than an hour away if we are needed, and that he can reach out to us for any need he has. I was not ready for this. It bummed me out and made me sad. One day it was hitting me especially hard. I was super proud of him and his independent spirit, but I was missing my boy. In that moment of reflection, I realized that I’d done the same thing when I was his age. The post SILY 654- No Apology Needed appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story is pulled from a television episode that aired 25 years ago. However, its claims about the Bible are ones that I still see being used often today, and the very scene has been making the rounds on social media this year, which is why I decided to address it on this podcast. It’s easy to see why the Old Testament laws can be confusing and hopefully it’s easy to see why I’ll be devoting an entire episode to this topic. What we see in this clip from the West Wing is not an example of putting someone in their place. No, what we see in this clip is what plagues our culture. That is, Biblical illiteracy. In fact, this clip demonstrates Biblical illiteracy from both President Bartlet and Dr. Jacobs.  The post SILY 653- Loudest Person in the Room appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Thanks to Jeff and Ruthie for sharing their stories. I found both of these stories to be incredibly inspiring and I appreciate each of them being willing to be vulnerable enough to share these raw moments from their lives. These stories represent the true heart of this podcast and the best of what community looks like. The post 652- Monday Mailbag appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In 2017 I received an email from a podcast associate of mine named Shawn. I reached out to Shawn to learn more about the mission and determine how much I could donate to make maximum impact. Shawn was great with answering my questions, but the conversation didn’t go as I expected. Rather than simply taking my money, Shawn repeatedly emphasized that the best impact I could make was not in purchasing multiple stoves and floors. Instead, he insisted the biggest impact would be made if I joined him in Guatemala. The post 651- What’s Better Than Money appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You could say that nobody steals Thor’s thunder. He is the god of thunder, after all. But perhaps he’s the only one who is immune to having their thunder stolen. It took me years to see this fault in myself. To be honest, I’m still not convinced I’m capable of realizing that I’ve stolen someone’s thunder until a great deal of time has passed. That scares me a little. And that’s the lesson for today. If you’re like me, you love the thrill of getting set free to take an idea and run with it. That’s a great feeling and often comes with rewarding outcomes. Just don’t take off without first taking a look around you. The post 650- Pitfalls of a Thor Complex appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As we stood there on the shore of San Diego Bay taking in the sights of Comic-Con, Clint looked at me and asked, “Darrell, why do you do all of this?” I took a moment and gave him an answer I wasn’t happy with then and I’m not happy with now. I told him that I enjoyed being around the celebrities and learning about all the new stuff that’s coming out on TV this season. He looked at me with a dissatisfied expression. I’ve thought a lot about it since then, and here’s the truthful answer he deserved that day. I wanted the recognition. I wanted the notoriety. I was motivated heavily by selfish ambitions. The post 649- Understanding Your Why appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The Bible has a lot to say about God and his attributes, and it’s easy to understand how some of these passages can be interpreted to paint God into an image similar to that of Oz. But is that accurate? Just as Dorothy and her friends learned the truth about Oz when they pulled back the curtain and had a face to face conversation with him, I think if we dig in and pull back the curtain a bit today, a better understanding of God’s character will be revealed.   The post 648- The God Behind the Curtain appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Certainly the fact that we have the capacity to think signifies our existence. However, I’ve seen too many people who think they don’t exist because no one seems to notice them or acknowledge them. Honestly, I think deep down all of us need someone to affirm us in some way in order for us to feel like we exist. Thus, “I am thought of, therefore I am.” The post 647- I Think Therefore I Am appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with people about NMX 2015. Nearly every conversation I have about it includes someone declaring, “That was the best event ever!”  Why? Surround yourself with a group of friends that will encourage you, stick with you, help you see your blind spots, and give you that necessary encouragement on those hardest of days. Otherwise, you might give up when all your dreams are just outside your grasp accessible via a path you’ve just not yet seen. The post 646- The Year of Breakthrough appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Marriage is not easy. Adding kids into the mix makes it even more challenging. It’s not surprising that between two-thirds and one-half of all marriages in the US end in divorce. This week Kari and I will celebrate 26 years of marriage and we are as happy and as solidly connected as we’ve ever been. Here are what I believe are five key ingredients to a successful marriage, plus a bonus ingredient. The post 645- Ingredients of a Happy Marriage appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The word gospel simply means good news. For many of us when we hear the word gospel we think of good news that Jesus came and died to pay the penalty for our sin and provide a way to reconcile us with God. That is indeed good news! That is gospel. We often hear gospel messages about Jesus, but we don’t often hear about the gospel message that Jesus himself preached. Is it possible that we’ve missed the real message of Jesus? The post 644- Kingdoms in Conflict appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Small moments can become unknown investments which make ripples decades for decades. Don’t underestimate the impact a small moment can have on someone’s life. Be engaged and authentic. Make the time count. Take time to let someone know when they’ve impacted your life in a positive way. Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. The post 643- Ten Hours Maximum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There are two women who still inspire me today. They remind me that no matter where you are in life, no matter your financial situation, no matter what difficulty you’re going through or mountain you’re on top of, you are never too good to treat someone with respect and even offer them something extra to brighten their day, and you’re never too poor to be able to find someone who needs help more than you do. The post 642- It’s Better to Give appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.