It taught me not to fear death, that death is not the ending but will be a beginning of an eternity in paradise.

And that a gruesome end doesn't mean that God wasn't with us. God doesn't promise us a peaceful death in a hospital bed surrounded by loved ones, we could be eaten by a shark for all we know, or get into a bad car accident.

Here's an idea for this coming Thursday's Thanksgiving time.

You're around the table, either for lunch or dinner. Your guests are there, and who knows what they will want to talk about. But YOU are the host. You get to pick the "table topic." When everyone has had their share of roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and corn, before serving the dessert, have them read and share their take on "10 Bible verses" connected with "giving thanks." What do these verses tell you? How do you personally relate to these verses?

If you have 10 guests, each guest gets a verse. If there are 5 guests, each one gets 2 verses. Do the math, divide up the verses, and let that be the "Table Talk" before dessert.

1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 100:4; Psalm 9:1; Psalm 7:17 1 Chronicles 16:34; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:15; 4:2; James 1:17;

2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57

Prince Albert II of Monaco has announced that he will not sign into law a bill that aims to relax the conditions for accessing abortion in the European microstate.

The monarch confirmed his rejection of the new bill — passed by the National Council by a margin of 19-2 last May — during an interview given to the Monaco-Matin newspaper on Nov. 18 on the occasion of the holiday celebrating the principality’s nationhood.

The legislative proposal aimed to authorize abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 16 weeks in cases of rape, and to lower the minimum age for waiving parental consent from 18 to 15 years old.

While he said he understands “the sensitivity of this issue,” the monarch pointed out that the current legal framework “respects our identity and the place that the Catholic religion occupies in our country, while simultaneously guaranteeing safe and more humane support.”

Continued below.

The Roman Catholic Church is defending marriage as a union between one man and one woman amid concerns about polygamy and polyamory, and increased acceptance of same-sex relationships.

The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released a Doctrinal Noteon the Value of Marriage as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging on Tuesday. The document, authored by the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez and approved by Pope Leo XIV, comes as the Catholic Church’s African bishops are seeking to stop the spread of polygamy on the continent.

Continued below.

Is the Pope visit to Turkey might be a significant event in regards to Bible prophecy? Turkey is where the 7 churches in Revelation. Any thoughts?https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-...urkey-lebanon-first-overseas-trip-2025-11-25/

Is the Pope visit to Turkey might be a significant event in regards to Bible prophecy? Turkey is where the 7 churches in Revelation. Any thoughts?

Prayer is the key

Tenderness is the virtue that allows the love in your heart to be expressed through touch, sight, and speech.
God is love; therefore, during My time on earth, My love was revealed through the touch of My hands,
the gaze of My eyes, and the words I spoke.
—The Love Crucified Community, The Simple Path to Union with God (p. 279)

I believe that, although there are exceptions, men often feel more at ease with aggressive emotions than with tenderness. Yet there are moments when tenderness emerges—toward children who need protection, or towards the elderly. Much of my monastic journey has been about learning to accept these softer emotions. I am still on that path. At times, it is hard to endure the inner landscape of my own heart.

As a late bloomer, I learned early to keep aggression in check—losing fights was not attractive. So, I repressed it, and when repression failed, I endured it. Later, in the Navy and through weightlifting, I became more aware of my aggression, shielded by physical strength. My personality has always been non-threatening, and growing up in a large family taught me how to navigate different temperaments.

Life in the monastery deepened my self-awareness and awakened a longing for inner healing. The more I prayed, the more I sensed this need. For years, I spoke little about it, until around age forty, when the strain began to affect my health. Inner healing is slow, as anyone seeking union with God discovers. I uncovered hidden trust issues beyond my reach. The first step was awareness—recognizing how pain, anger, and mistrust could distort life and breed chaos.

To love God fully, inner healing is essential. Pain is a wake-up call; ignore it, and life becomes harder. Prayer and my relationship with Christ kept me from self-medicating, though food has always been a struggle. Learning self-love has been the hardest lesson—growing through failure, rising again. God commands us to love ourselves, and the fact that it is a command reveals its difficulty.

Breakthroughs often come in dreams or through upheaval—like heart surgery. That crisis exposed my vulnerability and changed me. My heart feels lighter now; I sense love more deeply. It took seventy-six years to reach this point.

It is all grace. My part is simple: show up, get up, don’t give up. Slowly, the Holy Spirit works. Progress is slow because, on many levels, I still wrestle with God. Prayer is the key, and trust opens the heart to Christ Jesus.
—Br. MD

The Pentagon announced Nov. 24 that it was investigating Sen. Mark Kelly for "serious allegations of misconduct" after the Arizona Democrat called for U.S. troops to refuse unlawful orders.

Officials are reviewing whether Kelly was involved in a breach of military law, according to a post on X from the Department of War, formally the Department of Defense.

Kelly was among a group of six Democratic lawmakers who put out a video directed at service members telling them they have the right not to obey orders they believe to be illegal.

"A thorough review" of the allegations was initiated to determine further actions against Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy captain, "which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures," the post reads.

The social media post cited a federal law that allows retired military members to be recalled to active duty if ordered.

Click to expand...

This should be interesting.

Here's an idea for this coming Thursday's Thanksgiving time. You're around the table, either for lunch or dinner. Your guests are there, and who knows what they will want to talk about. But YOU are the host. You get to pick the "table topic." When everyone has had their share of roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and corn, before serving the dessert, have them read and share their take on "10 Bible verses" connected with "giving thanks." What do these verses tell you? How do you personally relate to these verses?

If you have 10 guests, each guest gets a verse. If there are 5 guests, each one gets 2 verses. Do the math, divide up the verses, and let that be the "Table Talk" before dessert.

1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 100:4; Psalm 9:1; Psalm 7:17 1 Chronicles 16:34; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:15; 4:2; Psalm 50:14

2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57

Here's an idea for this coming Thursday's Thanksgiving time. You're around the table, either for lunch or dinner. Your guests are there, and who knows what they will want to talk about. But YOU are the host. You get to pick the "table topic." When everyone has had their share of roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and corn, before serving the dessert, have them read and share their take on "10 Bible verses" connected with "giving thanks." What do these verses tell you? How do you personally relate to these verses?

If you have 10 guests, each guest gets a verse. If there are 5 guests, each one gets 2 verses. Do the math, divide up the verses, and let that be the "Table Talk" before dessert.

1 Thessalonians 5:18; Psalm 100:4; Psalm 9:1; Psalm 7:17 1 Chronicles 16:34; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:15; 4:2; Psalm 50:14

2 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 15:57

As word spread about the operation unfolding on Rose Ave., neighbors and activists calling themselves "constitutional observers" streamed in, holding phones in the air to videotape what was unfolding. Tensions rose as more and more demonstrators arrived, yelling at federal agents lined up on the sidewalk in front of the home. An agent could be heard speaking through a bullhorn: "You are too close... if you do not comply, we will use force."
Around 11:15 a.m., things came to a head, with officers using cans to spray the growing crowd. Prepared after last week's raid on Bro-Tex LLC., community members were equipped to treat those who had been targeted with chemical irritants.

They should get some jail time for interfering with law enforcement. Otherwise it will just continue.

"The human brain isn’t a blank slate waiting to be written by experience, according to research that challenges the century-old Tabula Rasa theory. The study shows that neurons grown in laboratory dishes spontaneously organize into precise firing sequences that resemble those seen in developing mouse brains, suggesting our neural circuits arrive pre-configured with computational architecture long before we experience the world.

The question of whether brains are shaped primarily by nature or nurture has occupied philosophers and scientists since at least the 17th century, when John Locke proposed the mind as a “tabula rasa” or blank slate. Modern neuroscience has largely assumed that while basic brain structures are genetically determined, the precise firing patterns that encode information must be learned through experience.

This study provides direct evidence against that"

O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations.

We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things.

Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth.

Guard us we pray Most Faithful One.

Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment.

Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you.
Jesus, You are a King of Mercy.
We have deserved Your Just Judgment
Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us.
We trust in Your Great Mercy.
O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray;
May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth.
Amen

prayer-to-christ-the-king

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning for the military to sever all ties with Scouting America, saying the group once known as the Boy Scouts is no longer a meritocracy and has become an organization designed to "attack boy-friendly spaces," according to documents reviewed by NPR.

In a draft memo to Congress, which sources shared with NPR but which has not yet been sent, Hegseth criticizes Scouting for being "genderless" and for promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.

The proposal calls for the Pentagon to no longer provide medical and logistical aid to the National Jamboree, which brings in as many as 20,000 scouts to a remote site in West Virginia. It also states that the military will no longer allow Scout troops to meet at military installations in the U.S. and abroad, where many bases have active Scout programs.

Banning Scout troops from meeting on military bases in the U.S. and overseas troubles Kenny Green. He's a retired Army Staff Sergeant who served as a sniper in Iraq and is the parent of three Scouts — two girls and a boy. Because of his military service, his family has moved frequently.

"We went from Louisiana to Alaska. From Alaska to Germany. From Germany to Texas," he said. But at every military base there was a Scout troop that could help ease the transition to a new home. "We don't have to say a word to them, let them go see the other kids, and they'll be immediately integrated in."

Congress requires the Pentagon to support the scouting program's Jamboree, a gathering of thousands of young scouts held every three or four years. The U.S. military lends trucks, ambulances and medical teams, and puts on aviation and skydiving demonstrations, all at no cost to the Scouts. For the military, it's both a training exercise and an opportunity to recruit highly motivated, civic-minded kids.

But the law includes an exemption: the Secretary of Defense can withhold support  if he determines providing it would be "detrimental to national security."

Hegseth was never a Boy Scout, and has said he grew up in a church-based youth group that focuses on memorizing Bible verses.

The Secretary of War has acted just in time -- this could have led to having girls in the armed forces!

I'll be the first to say this is an old poll and I am more than welcome to see new contradictory evidence if it can be presented but....
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/politics/independents-pew

I have never really met a self identified "Independent" who has had a truly centrist position (or; who argues "both sides" with equal vigor)

What do you all think of Independents? IF you are one, do you believe that you are an exception to that rule?

“The document required more careful consideration and refinement, but above all it should have been prepared by persons competent in the field.”​

ROME, 21 November 2025—One of Church’s leading authorities on Mariology has sharply criticized Mater Populi Fidelis, saying the document reveals the theological and methodological incompetence of those who produced it.

In a recent interview with Swiss media (RSI), Father Salvatore Maria Perrella, OSM, former Professor of Dogmatics and Mariology at the Pontifical Theological Faculty Marianum and twice its Dean, said the new doctrinal Note on the Marian titles “Co-redemptrix” and “Mediatrix of All Graces,” issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, should have been more carefully considered and refined. He emphasized that, above all, “it should have been prepared by persons competent in the field.”

The respected Italian Mariologist argues that the Note draws excessively on Pope Francis, whose perspective dominates the text in a way he finds unbalanced and lacking depth. He suggests the result is a document that falls short of the competence, thoroughness, and historical grounding normally expected from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Continued below.

I was thinking, scientists say psychics breaks down when a star implodes. Everything`s limited to the speed of light, except when a star is imploding, dying, it can expand as fast as it wants to, they say.

Does that mean you can find a dying star, and then ride the wave when it implodes to travel faster than the speed of light? Is that the only way do it also?

Genesis 9:8-17 KJV
Promises of God for All
Tuesday November 23, 2025

MY Interpetation:

• Noah's flood because of imagination of man evil heart wickedly.

• God's Promise No More Flood To Trust God for Salvation example of the times were singing songs for strength.

▪︎ God's people looking for the messiah Jesus ( New Testament)

• New Testament- Token not to be of perdition-transgress

Jesus Christ Father of us All to believe in him to be his son. To have Fellowship with him.

• God Faithful Promise of his Convenant keeping his commandments - To Rule

My Interpetation Written and Spoken by Me Reginald Taylor Jr

Aficionados of sacred vestments and other objects of liturgical art are reasonably familiar with the fact that if you proceed into the subterranean levels of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (accessed through the baptistery and ultimately through the adjacent gift shop for those who are not familiar with how to access it) one can find numerous objects of liturgical art that are worthy of your attention.

The lower museum -- which is free to access incidentally -- contains some of the most important vestments on display in the collection, including vestments worn by St. Pius V, St. Charles Borromeo and the Barberini pope, Urban VIII. (Regrettably, photographs of the vestments found in particular section are notoriously difficult to get good photographs of due to the poor nature of the lighting as well as the highly reflective glass.) This lower museum also contains various other impressive objects of liturgical art, including altar candlesticks and crosses, reliquaries and so on. Here is a small taste of some of what you can find in the lower treasury museum.

At the heart of the film is not only the brothers’ decision to enter seminary, but the family culture that made those decisions possible.

In an age where priestly vocations can feel increasingly scarce, stories of young men saying “yes” to God shine with particular meaning. A new short film from the Diocese of Orange, Two Brothers, One Calling: The Making of a Priest, shares one such story – or rather, two. The project follows Francis and Travis Ang, the only children of their family, whose distinct journeys toward priestly discernment reflect a quiet but genuine renewal of a vocational culture taking shape in Southern California.

At the heart of the film is not only the brothers’ decision to enter seminary, but the family culture that made those decisions possible. As the trailer portrays, the Ang home was a place where faith was lived rather than forced. Prayer fit naturally into daily routines, conversations were open, and their parents’ witness helped the brothers recognize God’s presence in the rhythms of ordinary life.

Francis describes his family life as the early foundation of his spiritual identity and the first place he learned to recognize God’s love. “Having faithful parents, just knowing that they were present for me was like a representation of God’s love for me,” he shares in the trailer. “Even though I may not see Him physically, I can feel Him in my heart.”

Continued below.

In Canada, where abortion remains legal at any stage of pregnancy without restrictions, healthy babies are routinely killed in the third trimester for reasons as simple as changing one’s mind about parenthood.

That’s according to undercover investigationsand abortion clinic admissions revealed in recent years.

A 2023 undercover operation by pro-life advocate Alissa Golob, co-founder of the group RightNow, exposed what she described as a stark contradiction to claims that late-term abortions are reserved for dire medical emergencies. Posing as a pregnant woman seeking to end her third-trimester pregnancy, Golob visited abortion clinics in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

The resulting videos, edited from hour-long conversations, captured staff discussing options without requiring proof of fetal or maternal health risks.

“You can tell the clinics anything, and they will accept it as a valid reason to abort a third-trimester, viable baby,” Golob said in reflections on the investigation.

Continued below.

Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983) Born in Haarlem, Netherlands.
Died in Placentia, California A life of courage, compassion, and
unwavering faith - passing into glory on her 91st birthday.

Corrie ten Boom’s life of courage and compassion beautifully reflected the wisdom found in Proverbs 31. The chapter begins with the sayings of King Lemuel, words taught to him by his mother, urging him to rule with justice, defend the vulnerable, and avoid corruption. Among her counsel is the charge in Proverbs 31:8 NKJV: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Corrie embodied this command during the Nazi occupation, when she and her family risked their lives to hide Jews and resistance members in their home. Just as Lemuel’s mother instructed her son to use his position to protect the defenseless, Corrie lived out that same principle in action, standing as a voice for the voiceless and a defender of those marked for destruction. Her obedience to God’s Word became a testimony that justice and mercy are not abstract ideals, but living realities expressed through sacrificial love.



The Hiding Place in the Ten Boom Museum A secret
refuge behind the wall - where the Ten Boom family
sheltered Jews during the Holocaust.

In 1944, betrayal led to their arrest. Corrie’s father died within days, and she and her sister Betsie were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. There, they endured cruelty, starvation, and disease. Betsie, frail yet radiant, often reminded Corrie of Romans 8:38‑39 NKJV — “For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God.”

Betsie’s faith shone even in suffering, declaring: “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” When Betsie died, Corrie felt stripped bare, echoing Job’s lament in Job 1:21 NKJV - “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Like Job, Corrie’s losses were profound. Yet her story did not end in despair. God was preparing restoration.

After the war, Corrie traveled across Europe, sharing her testimony of God’s faithfulness. She spoke of forgiveness, echoing Ephesians 4:32 NKJV - “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

One day in Germany, after speaking at a church, a man approached her. He was a former Ravensbrück guard - one who had overseen cruelty. He confessed his sins and asked Corrie for forgiveness.

Memories surged back. Forgiveness seemed impossible. Corrie prayed silently, recalling Philippians 4:13 NKJV- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Strength not her own flowed through her, enabling her to extend her hand. She forgave him.

That act of obedience mirrored Job 42:10 NKJV - “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.” Corrie’s willingness to forgive opened the door for healing. She later testified that peace flooded her heart, bitterness dissolved, and God’s restoration began.

From that moment, Corrie’s ministry expanded worldwide. She traveled to more than sixty countries, proclaiming reconciliation and hope. Her book The Hiding Place touched millions, fulfilling Isaiah 61:7 NKJV - “Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.”

Spirit-Led Ministry “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” — Corrie ten Boom Image courtesy of Corrie ten Boom Museum.

Her “latter days” were greater than her beginning. Though she had lost family and home, God restored her with a ministry that bore eternal fruit. Like Joel 2:25 NKJV - “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” - Corrie’s barren years became seeds of testimony.

Her scars became her witness, her pain became purpose, and her obedience became a beacon of hope. 1 Peter 5:10 NKJV was fulfilled in her life: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”

Corrie’s restoration was complete - not because her past was erased, but because God transformed her suffering into ministry. Her testimony continues to inspire generations, proving that forgiveness is the key that unlocks healing, and obedience is the path to restoration.

Corrie ten Boom’s life teaches us:

• Forgiveness unlocks restoration (Job 42:10 NJKV; Ephesians 4:32 NKJV).
• God redeems lost seasons (Joel 2:25 NKJV).
• Suffering produces strength and testimony (1 Peter 5:10 NJKV).
• His love is deeper than any pit (Romans 8:38‑39 NKJV).

Her story is a living echo of Job’s - stripped bare yet restored by God’s faithfulness.

Ministry flows not from striving, but from surrender — when filled with the Spirit, we overflow.

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To the Holy Spirit — thank You for guiding every word, guarding every step, and glorifying Jesus through it all. All glory, honor, praise and worship goes to God Almighty, for He alone is worthy to receive it all.

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Scripture Acknowledgement

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version® (NKJV). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Special thanks to Bible Gateway for providing accessible, searchable Scripture resources that support devotional writing and spiritual study.

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May these words echo grace, healing, and truth wherever they are read.

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A New Jersey spa must allow male customers who identify as the opposite sex to access female-only areas where women are required to be nude, regardless of whether they've undergone a sex-change surgery, a judge has ruled.

In a consent order signed by Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Sarlo, the King Spa in Bergen County agreed to implement policies based on "sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."

“It is unlawful and violates company policy to discriminate in any way against a client because of the client's actual or perceived gender identity," the consent order states, according to NJ Advance Media. "[E]ach person has a gender identity, which may or may not correspond to the sex that person was assigned at birth."

According to the order, which was signed in August but has only recently garnered media attention, the company policy's definition of gender identity refers to "a person's internal sense of being male, female or any other gender, regardless of physical characteristics or appearance."

Continued below.