Showing results by narrator "Steve Stewart" in All Categories

The festive Christmas wreath we hang on our doors today has a rich and complex history stretching back to ancient pagan traditions, long before it was adapted for Christian holidays. For early Europeans, the harsh winter season, marked by the winter solstice, was a time of fear and uncertainty. The sight of evergreens such as holly, ivy, and pine, remaining green amidst the bleak landscape was a powerful symbol of hope, life, and renewal.

Empowering Voices by Sage Ellison is a vital guide aimed at fostering diversity and inclusivity within educational settings amid rising opposition to such initiatives. The book serves as a resource for educators, parents, and community members who aspire to create a supportive environment where every student feels valued and heard.

The cheerful, diminutive creatures of Santa's North Pole workshop stand in stark contrast to their folkloric ancestors. In ancient pagan traditions, particularly those of Norse and Germanic cultures, elves were not the jolly, toy making sprites we know today, but rather powerful and often mischievous supernatural beings.

From bustling street markets in Accra to remote tea farms in Vietnam, Pi Network: The People’s Network takes you inside the rise of a digital currency unlike any other. What began as a bold experiment—a cryptocurrency mined on mobile phones without expensive hardware—has grown into a global movement connecting millions of merchants, pioneers, and everyday users.

Debt-Free Futures by Sage Ellison is a vital resource for those grappling with the challenges of rising college tuition and student loan debt. This book empowers listeners to navigate the complex landscape of college funding, offering practical strategies to achieve a debt-free education while promoting broader community impact.

Bathsheba is one of the most prominent and complex female figures in the Old Testament, forever linked to the infamous Biblical narrative involving King David. Initially married to Uriah the Hittite, a loyal and honorable soldier, her story is one of desire, power, betrayal, and consequence found primarily in the books of 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.

Aaron, the brother of Moses, stands as a prominent figure in the Biblical narrative of the Exodus, ordained by God as Israel’s first high priest. A descendant of the tribe of Levi, Aaron’s journey began not in the royal court like Moses, but among his enslaved kinsmen in Egypt, where he was known for his eloquence.

Luke chapter 21 unfolds with Christ’s final teachings in Jerusalem, moving from a scene in the Temple to the panoramic prophecies of the Olivet Discourse concerning the Temple's imminent destruction and the signs of the end times. The audio intertwines two major prophetic horizons: the near future fall of Jerusalem and the far future second coming of Christ. This provides a powerful, multilayered message of faith, vigilance, and perseverance for the audience in the first century and for believers throughout history.

In the sweltering summer of 1874, the small town of Marshallville is a place where laughter echoes through sun-drenched fields, and the scent of blooming wildflowers fills the air. For three inseparable friends — an adventurous girl named Bobby, and her two friends, Jacob and Peter — summer represents freedom, exploration, and the thrill of childhood. But as the season approaches, an ominous shadow looms over their idyllic town.

Of all the traditions that define the holiday season, none is more iconic than the Christmas tree. From a simple pine decorated with care to a towering spruce aglow with a thousand lights, it is a centerpiece of our holiday celebrations, a familiar and unchanging symbol that welcomes us home each winter. For many, the sight of a decorated evergreen instantly evokes childhood memories of glittering ornaments and family gatherings, making its annual return feel both timeless and profoundly personal.

It's easy to think of Santa Claus as just a jolly, plump man in a red suit, a cozy figure who perfectly sums up the magic of Christmas. But what if I told you that the story is a lot weirder and a lot older than you’ve been led to believe? Forget the North Pole for a minute, and picture something a bit more primal: a flying shaman on a mushroom fueled trip, a wild god leading a ghostly hunt through the winter sky, and ancient tree spirits honored long before Christianity came around.

"Empowering Puerto Rico" by Sage Ellison is a crucial guide for anyone seeking to contribute to Puerto Rico's journey toward self-determination and community resilience. The book addresses the pressing challenges faced by those looking to support Puerto Rico's independence movement while providing practical strategies to engage effectively. Ellison outlines a roadmap to understanding Puerto Rico's complex history and current political landscape, enabling listeners to identify avenues for empowerment through community initiatives.

Mathematics Professor Kurt Rosier loses his girlfriend. That’s okay, though. He didn’t like her much anyway. After finding an easier way to make money, he quits his job. He soon lands a hot girlfriend and doesn’t think life can get much better. But it will.

The wise men didn't arrive on a single starry night, in a stable bustling with shepherds. Their journey was a grueling, months-long quest across treacherous deserts and forbidding mountains, not a peaceful stroll to a manger. These were not gentle kings, but powerful, influential astrologers, so potent that their mere arrival in Jerusalem could send a paranoid king into a panic. They were men of power, science, and wealth, driven by an unshakeable conviction that a new king had been born, and they would stop at nothing to find him. Forget the gentle fable you know.

In his continuing journey, this man of faith finds himself on a very natural journey across his country to go to a place the Lord sends him to. Follow along on the next leg of the journey.

In 2 Samuel 23:20, we find a gripping and often-overlooked verse detailing one of King David's mighty men, Benaiah. As a celebrated warrior, he is remembered for three remarkable feats: slaying an Egyptian giant, killing a lion in a pit on a snowy day, and striking down "two lion-like men of Moab". While modern translations and scholars debate the exact meaning of these "lion-like men" (some suggest they were mighty warriors, others that they were mythological or monstrous beings), the deeper spiritual lessons remain clear.

Revelation 1 serves as the powerful prologue to the Book of Revelation, framing it not as a puzzle, but as the direct revelation of Jesus Christ. Writing from his exile on the island of Patmos, the apostle John records his dramatic vision of the glorified and resurrected Christ, an awe-inspiring figure with eyes like blazing fire and a voice like rushing waters. The chapter emphasizes key themes of divine authority, as Jesus reveals himself as the Alpha and Omega, the one who holds the keys of Hell and death.

Matthew 2 starts out just after the birth of Christ, immediately placing the listener in what will become a life or death situation for the newborn savior of the world. The jealous and nervous king Herod gave a decree that all of the children two and younger were to be killed, which forced Christ and his parents to flee into Africa to escape.

The birth of Christ is possibly one of the most controversial sto-ries among believers. Was Mary really a virgin when she got pregnant or was Joseph the father? Did Christ fit the signs of the Messiah in the Old Testament or should we be looking for another? Only two of the four synoptic gospels go in depth about the birth and early years of Christ. As we read through the books of Matthew and Luke, we begin to get a clearer picture of the first twelve years of the life of Christ. Understanding those early years are vital when it comes to knowing who it is we believe in and why.

The life of Christ is the central focus of the entire New Testament. His birth was prophesied in the Old Testament, and those that knew of his coming patiently awaited his arrival. While not much is known about the early years of his life, we do have bits and pieces scattered throughout the gospels, that give us glimpses of what Christ’s life was like prior to him starting the ministry we are mostly familiar with from the latter part of his life.