37% of people making $250,000 a year are living paycheck to paycheck right now. Which means the thing keeping most of us stuck financially has almost nothing to do with how much we make. Linda and I have coached people pulling in $250k who are dead broke. We've watched a $20,000 raise get absorbed by lifestyle inside six months and leave them exactly where they started. The problem isn't income. The problem is that most of us are working hard on the wrong math problem.

In this episode we walk through the four stages of money (surviving, stable, secure, and surplus) and the one mistake almost everybody makes when they try to jump from one stage to the next. We get into why "boring" is the actual investing strategy, why we wish we wouldn't have taken the raise, the bank-manager story that explains why the system is rigged against people in stage one, and the moment we finally figured out that the move that got us from stage one to stage two was the exact same move keeping us stuck in stage two for years.

If you enjoyed this, we'd love to send you a free copy of our book. You just cover shipping. It has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Grab it at seedtime.com/free.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• The stat that proves your financial stage has almost nothing to do with your income
• The 4 stages of money and how to know which one you're actually in
• The one mistake almost everybody makes trying to jump from one stage to the next
• Why a $20k raise can leave you with the same $0 left at the end of the month
• The bank manager story that exposes how the system is rigged against people in stage one
• Why "boring" is actually the right investing strategy at stage three
• The Elon-Musk-doesn't-mow-his-own-lawn principle most people get backwards
• Why willpower-based budgeting always fails (and what to do instead)

BIBLE VERSES MENTIONED

• Matthew 14:13-21 (referenced. The five loaves and two fish. "You bring it to me and I'll multiply it.")

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Mission-Driven Millionaire cohort
• Simple Money, Rich Life (the book)
• Free book offer

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

In this episode I walk through our entire 2026 investment portfolio: every account, every position, and exactly what I'm doing with our money. That includes a full update on gold (which has nearly doubled but I genuinely don't care), where we stand with Bitcoin at $65k, why I moved Linda's Roth IRA into a fixed indexed annuity after spending my whole career skeptical of them, our real estate split between Fundrise and Roots, the Tesla concentration problem in our stock portfolio, and what happened when I ran an app that automatically copies Nancy Pelosi's trades for 8 months — including the $1,500 I put in and the 12.4% it returned.

If you enjoyed this, we'd love to send you a free copy of our book — you just cover shipping. It has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Grab it at seedtime.com/free.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• The Christian fund I've held for a year that's down 3% while the S&P is up 17% — and why I'm not selling
• The app that automatically mirrors Nancy Pelosi's stock trades (Trump mentioned her record in the State of the Union)
• Why gold has nearly doubled — and why I genuinely don't care
• The Tesla concentration problem in our stock portfolio that every rebalancing strategy says to fix (but I won't)
• Why I spent my whole career skeptical of annuities — then moved Linda's Roth IRA into one
• What we're actually putting in crypto right now, and why 80% of it is in one coin
• Why I want as few US dollars as possible right now — and what I'm holding instead

BIBLE REFERENCES

• Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Sound Mind Investing (FCTE / Full Cycle Trading Fund)
• Roots
• Fundrise Innovation Fund
• Alto IRA
• OneGold
• Autopilot app
• Webull

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

Most of us have quietly convinced ourselves that busy-ness is a badge of honor.

Mark Buchanan believed the same thing — until it almost cost him his health, his marriage, and his connection with God. And what he found on the other side of that is something the modern church has almost entirely stopped talking about.

In this conversation, Linda and I sit down with Mark Buchanan — author of The Rest of God, God Walk, and his new historical fiction novel What Is Left of the Night — to talk about why busyness kills the heart, what Sabbath really means as more than a day, how walking is a deeply spiritual practice woven all through Scripture.

His book The Rest of God is what started our practice of monthly sabbaticals 13 years ago, and this conversation took us somewhere we didn't expect.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• Why Mark nearly burned out as a pastor — and how discovering Sabbath saved his marriage and his ministry
• Why Sabbath isn't just about a day of the week — it's an attitude and a way of seeing everything
• The phrase "busyness kills the heart" and what it actually looks like in your everyday life
• How Bob and Linda's 13-year practice of monthly sabbaticals grew out of one book — and led to a full year off
• The spiritual practice of walking, and the surprising number of times it shows up in Scripture
• Mark's new historical fiction novel about a French village that protected 2,500 Jews during WWII with zero casualties
• What connects Sabbath, walking, and a village that simply refused to live by the world's rules

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Mark Buchanan's Books:

• The Rest of God
• God Walk
• What Is Left of the Night

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

You're not careless with money. You try to be intentional. But somehow at the end of the month, there's still less than there should be — and you can't quite figure out where it went.

What if the problem isn't discipline — but a type of spending leak that even the most careful budgeters almost never catch?

In this episode, I walk through the Cost vs. Frequency Matrix — a simple framework for identifying three invisible drains that quietly bleed most middle-class budgets dry.

We talk about value decay (purchases that made total sense once, but quietly stopped serving you), what the average American home's 300,000 items tells us about how we buy things, and how this all connects back to what it really means to steward what God has entrusted to you.

This is a workshop-style episode, so grab something to write with.

If you enjoyed this, we'd love to send you a free copy of our book — you just cover shipping. It has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Grab it at seedtime.com/free.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• Why the average American home has 300,000 items — and what that tells us about how we actually spend money
• The three types of invisible "drains" that bleed most middle-class budgets without anyone noticing
• What "value decay" is and how to spot purchases that quietly stopped making sense in your life
• How to use the Cost vs. Frequency Matrix as a practical tool in about 10 minutes
• Why even the most disciplined budgeters often miss this category of spending
• What it means to manage money as a steward — and how that single mindset shift changes every decision
• The surprising connection between clutter, housework, and how much money is quietly walking out the door

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Real Money Method course
• Mission Driven Millionaire program

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

The day Jesus fed five thousand people from almost nothing — he was also grieving the violent death of his best friend and cousin. He'd tried to get away to be alone. The crowds followed him anyway. And instead of sending them home, the Bible says "he had compassion on them." Out of his grief. Out of his exhaustion.

In this episode, Linda and I walk through Matthew 14 and what was actually happening to Jesus during this wild 24-hour stretch — the grief, the exhaustion, the interrupted attempt at solitude, and the back-to-back miracles that came out of it. We also talk about what Linda walked through after her mom died last year, and why the moments when you feel least able are sometimes the moments God does his most visible work.

If you enjoyed this, we'd love to send you a free copy of our book — you just cover shipping. It has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. Grab it at seedtime.com/free.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• Why the feeding of the 5,000 hits completely differently when you know what Jesus was going through that day
• What it means that Jesus "had compassion on them" right after learning his cousin was killed
• How grief and exhaustion didn't disqualify Jesus from doing miracles — they may have been the condition for them
• What Linda experienced leading and speaking through the grief of losing her mom last year
• Why your weakest moments might be the ones where God gets the most visible credit
• What it actually looks like when you show up empty and God shows up anyway
• The three o'clock in the morning detail — and why the story doesn't end after the feeding

BIBLE VERSES MENTIONED

Matthew 14:13

Matthew 14:14

Matthew 14:23

Matthew 14:25

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

She prayed for seven years for a breakthrough. The more she prayed, the worse things got. And she ended up on the bathroom floor saying she didn't want to be alive anymore. What the Holy Spirit showed her in that moment — about control, about fear disguised as faith, about the difference between begging and believing — is something I haven't been able to stop thinking about.

In this episode, Linda and I sit down with Alex Seeley — author of The Divine Counselor — for one of the most honest conversations we've had on this show.

Alex shares how a 20-year eating disorder rooted in unforgiveness, a $23 last-dollar miracle when she and her husband gave everything to move to America, and a word from a stranger about a "tissue box" that just keeps refilling shaped her understanding of what it actually means to walk with the Holy Spirit.

We also talk about why Linda used to go shopping when things got tight financially — and what the Holy Spirit revealed was really going on underneath that.

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

Here's a little of what we cover in this episode:

• The difference between praying from fear and praying from faith (they can look identical from the outside)
• How a 20-year eating disorder rooted in unforgiveness was never going to "just work itself out"
• Why there's a 24/7 counselor available to you right now who's better than any therapist you could book an appointment with
• The $23 miracle: what happened when Alex and Henry gave their last dollars before moving to America
• Linda's confession about going shopping whenever money was tight — and what the Holy Spirit revealed about why
• The difference between conviction and condemnation (this reframes a lot)
• What it looks like when your seed goes into the next season — not just into an offering bucket

BIBLE VERSES MENTIONED

Acts 1:8

Isaiah 1

John 14:16

Romans 8:28

1 Peter 5:7

Philippians 4:13

DISCLAIMER

Obligatory legal disclaimer: I'm a financial educator, not your financial advisor, investment advisor, tax pro, or lawyer. This channel is for general education, not personalized advice, and nothing here should be taken as a recommendation to buy, sell, or use any specific investment, account, or financial product. I'm just sharing what I'm doing, what I'm learning, and what I find interesting.

Markets can be humbling. Investing involves risk, including the risk of losing money, and my results are personal, may not be typical, and are not guaranteed. Do your own research, use wisdom, and talk with a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

Some links are to our resources and some are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That helps keep the lights on around here, so thanks for the support.

Have you ever wondered why financial breakthrough feels so close yet so far? Bob and Linda Lotich reveal that God is constantly testing us with money—and most of us don't even realize it's happening. In this eye-opening conversation, they break down the three distinct money tests every believer faces, how to identify which one you're in right now, and what God is trying to teach you through it. What You'll Learn: The Three Tests -

• The Struggling Test - When you have less than you think you need
• The Surplus Test - When extra money comes your way
• The Stable Test - When nothing has changed for years

Key Insights:

• Why the habits you build in struggle carry you into surplus
• The George Mueller story that will transform how you pray about provision
• How to know if you're in a "rest season" or need to take action
• Why stability might be the sneakiest test of all
• The practical "50/50 rule" for handling raises and windfalls
• How to create your own "stack of stones" to remember God's faithfulness

Powerful Quotes: "The habits that we build in the struggle are the habits that carry us into the surplus time." - Bob "We've just been through this too many times." - Bob (during a financial crisis moment) "What do I need to do the job that God's asked me to do? And then the rest of it can just go." - Linda "It's an open book test and you have the teacher who wants to give you the answers." - Bob Biblical Foundations:

• Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
• The Rich Fool (Luke 12)
• George Mueller's radical faith
• Israelites and the manna
• James 1:2-5 on trials and wisdom

Action Steps:

1. Identify which test you're in right now - Are you struggling, experiencing surplus, or in a stable season?
2. Create your modern "stack of stones" - Write down a timeline of how God has provided for you in the past
3. Do a self-evaluation - How are you handling your current test?
4. Ask God for wisdom - Is this a season to rest or a season to take action?
5. Set up structures for surplus - Consider implementing the "50/50 rule" for future raises

The Bottom Line: You don't have to pass these tests perfectly—none of us do. But God is using money to teach you to trust Him more deeply, steward more faithfully, and expand your belief in what He can do. The question isn't whether you're being tested. The question is: Do you recognize the test? Scripture References:

• Matthew 25:14-30 (Parable of the Talents)
• Luke 12 (The Rich Fool)
• James 1:2-5 (Consider it all joy)
• Proverbs (multiple references to saving and wisdom)
• Genesis 8:22 (Seedtime and harvest)

Resources Mentioned:

• Simple Money, Rich Life by Bob Lotich - seedtime.com/smrl
• George Mueller's autobiography - https://www.georgemuller.org/uploads/4/8/6/5/48652749/the-autobiography-of-george-muller.pdf
• True Financial Freedom course - seedtime.com/tff
• Mission-Driven Millionaire program - seedtime.com/mdm

Ready to grow what God's given you? Get your free copy of Simple Money, Rich Life at seedtime.com/podcast Have a question about which test you're in? Share it in the comments below or email us at [email protected]

Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/sMnrFh6o2Ls)!

If you haven't checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you'll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as "a money book for people who don't read money books."

You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.

In all of Scripture, there are only a handful of times when God explicitly tells us to "remember" something. Each time, it's attached to something vital—communion, Christ's resurrection, where we've fallen. But there's one verse where God commands us to remember a principle that much of the church seems to have forgotten entirely. In this episode, Bob and Linda explore 2 Corinthians 9:6: "Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop, but the one who plants generously will get a generous crop." Key Topics Discussed: Why This Verse Matters

• How God uses the word "remember" throughout Scripture for critical truths
• The context of 2 Corinthians 8-9 and its focus on generous giving
• Why this principle of sowing and reaping has been pushed aside by many believers

The Enemy's Strategy

• How biblical principles get twisted and weaponized
• The 1980s prosperity gospel backlash and its lasting impact
• Two ditches to avoid: manipulation on one side, scarcity mindset on the other

Getting Your Heart Right

• The crucial difference between giving to people versus giving to the Lord
• How to avoid being manipulated while still embracing biblical generosity
• Why you can love your church and still have questions

The Multiplication Principle

• From Genesis to today: God's design for abundance
• The apple seed illustration that proves God's multiplication DNA
• How one butterfly's wings can literally change the world
• Why quiet faithfulness often shapes culture more than loud voices

What Happens When We Forget

• Generosity becomes optional instead of formative
• Fear replaces faith
• We settle for what we can maintain in our own strength
• Our expectations of God begin to shrink

Quotable Moments: "God doesn't command that we remember something that is trivial." "When you give to the Lord, that's when you can see the harvest. When you are giving to a person, they can't give you a harvest." "It's easy to be a voice... but there are so many people quietly shaping the culture of their nation." "The butterfly can flap its wings here in Tennessee and literally over in Australia there can be a hurricane—that is how God created things." Challenge: Don't let the enemy's twisting of Scripture cause you to forget what God told you to remember. Sowing and reaping isn't just about farming or fundraising—it's about how God designed His entire creation to multiply. Every smile at the coffee shop, every dollar given in faith, every child raised in love has exponential Kingdom impact. The question isn't whether God's multiplication principle is real. The question is: are you partnering with it or have you forgotten it entirely?

Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/ls_6kLhS2rY)!

If you haven't checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you'll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as "a money book for people who don't read money books."

You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.

Is our money system actually working against faithful stewardship? In this episode, Bob and Linda tackle a conversation almost no one in the church is having—but one every Christian steward needs to understand. Bob opens with a shocking reality: $100 in 1971 now buys about $12 worth of stuff. Same number. Far less value. So what happened? From there, the conversation zooms out to explore inflation, fiat currency, and why Scripture repeatedly condemns unequal weights and measures. Is our modern money system quietly violating biblical principles—and if so, what should believers do about it? This isn't about fear, conspiracy theories, or predicting the end of the dollar. It's about wisdom, stewardship, and preserving the value of what God has entrusted to us so we can live generously and faithfully over the long term. In this episode, we cover:

• Why saving money can feel like running on a treadmill
• What changed in 1971—and why it matters to your everyday life
• The biblical problem with "unequal weights and measures" (Proverbs & Amos)
• Why fiat currency quietly erodes purchasing power over time
• How money worked in the Bible: weight, scarcity, and real value
• Why Bob views gold as a store of value, not an "investment"
• How Bitcoin compares to gold (and why Bob separates it from other crypto)
• The hidden danger of keeping all your savings in cash
• How volatility differs from slow, invisible loss
• Why this conversation is ultimately about generosity and kingdom impact

Key Scriptures (NLT):

• Proverbs 11:1 – "The Lord detests the use of dishonest scales…"
• Proverbs 20:10 – "False weights and unequal measures… are detestable to the Lord."
• Amos 8:5–6 – God rebukes those who manipulate money for gain
• Genesis 23:16 – Abraham pays with weighted silver
• Exodus 30:13 – Money measured by the sanctuary shekel
• Genesis 2:11–12 – Gold appears early in creation—and God calls it good

Go deeper:

If you want a deeper, step-by-step breakdown of how Bob thinks through gold, Bitcoin, and long-term investing from a Christian perspective, check out the 10x Investing Course mentioned at the end of the episode (https://seedtime.com/10x).

The heart of this episode This isn't about gold or Bitcoin being a "savior." God is our provider—always. But wisdom matters. If money quietly loses value every year, that affects families, retirees, and our ability to give generously. As Bob explains, better stewardship today can mean greater generosity tomorrow. Action step for the week: Take 30 minutes to review where your savings are currently stored. Pray for wisdom (James 1:5), and ask this simple question: "Is all of our money sitting in something that loses value over time?" No pressure to act—just awareness, prayer, and learning. Important note: This episode is for education and biblical reflection—not personalized financial advice. Always pray and seek wise counsel before making financial decisions.

Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/euzv8IC40R0)!

If you haven't checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you'll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as "a money book for people who don't read money books."

You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.

When money is tight, a budget can feel like punishment. Like proof you messed up… or worse, proof your faith is weak. But what if that's backwards? In this episode, Bob and Linda flip the script and show why a budget isn't evidence of failure—it's evidence of faith in action. Drawing from Scripture, psychology, and real-life stories, they unpack why budgeting is actually a weapon God gives us in seasons of financial pressure. If you've ever thought, "If God would just fix this, why do I need a spreadsheet?"—this conversation is for you. In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why tight money seasons are normal, not a sign God has forgotten you
• How financial stress literally reduces your brain's capacity—and why structure matters
• The overlooked budgeting lesson hidden in 2 Kings 4 (the widow, the oil, and God's plan)
• Why God's miracles often create margin, but structure makes it meaningful
• How a budget pushes back against chaos, anxiety, and decision fatigue
• What Scripture really says about money, worry, and priorities (Matthew 6, Haggai 1, Philippians 4)
• Why a budget can act as a mirror, revealing where money is leaking
• How real people saw fast wins—even without making more money

Key Scriptures Mentioned (NLT):

• 2 Kings 4:1–7 – God's miracle + human participation
• Matthew 6:24–34 – You cannot serve God and money; the cure for anxiety
• Haggai 1:5–7 – Wages put into purses with holes (misaligned priorities)
• Philippians 4:11–13 – Learning contentment in plenty and in need

Big Idea: A budget isn't about restriction—it's about alignment. It's not a punishment used against you, but a tool placed in your hands. When money is tight, God doesn't just say "have more faith." He often gives a plan. Action Step for This Week: Take inventory. Just like the widow in 2 Kings, start by asking: "What do I actually have?" Write it down. No judgment—just clarity. Helpful Resources Mentioned:

• Simple Money, Rich Life – The "One Category Budget" (best on-ramp if you've never budgeted) https://seedtime.com/smrl
• The Real Money Method (UNB budgeting approach) https://seedtime.com/realmoney Visit seedtime.com to learn more.

Encouragement If You're Struggling: You're not broken. You're not behind. You're not alone. Tight seasons are part of the training—not proof of failure. And a budget might be one of the most practical acts of worship you can make right now.

Watch this episode on our SeedTime Money Podcast YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/VW6BGb25wCk)!

If you haven't checked out our best-selling book Simple Money, Rich Life (https://seedtime.com/smrl/), we think you'll love it. It was named the 2022 Book of the Year by ICFH and has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, and is best described as "a money book for people who don't read money books."

You can take it for a test drive for FREE at https://SeedTime.com/sample where you can download chapter 1 of the audiobook, grab the 1st 2 chapters of the ebook version, and even get the 5-week book study companion guide.