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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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