Today we continue discussing personal defeat and how to use the Power of God's Spirit to overcome it.   This is Podcast number 23 with Greg.

Earlier, we talked about overcoming setbacks with secular tools. Today we talk talk about using God's Power. 

See all of Greg Thomas's podcasts at

https://vkubik.podbean.com/category/greg-thomas

What is the right approach regarding our personal disappointments and mistakes? We live in a world of increased anxiety and emotional stress. Since the pandemic, many studies have shown a dramatic rise in loneliness and discouragement. Many people have given up on life because of their negative life experiences, including addictions, relationship issues, or guilt from past serious mistakes.

Order Greg Thomas' book at Amazon:  Making Life's Puzzle Pieces Fit

Discussion with Howard Marchbanks, Certified Financial Planner and I talk about Year-end Charitable Giving. There are several things that you may not be aware of that could help you and a charity. Howard is also a UCG elder living in Santa Ana, California.

Documents referred to in this podcast in downloadable PDF

Income Tax Charitable Deduction

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD)

Human beings were designed to have a day off to function.  Ken Murray takes us back to creation of the Sabbath which is revealed in Genesis 1.  The 7-day week is universal.  We also touch on the life of Charlie Kirk and his discovering the Sabbath as vital to keep from being burned out.  

Mark Kellner and I discuss his October 24, 2025, article in The Epoch Times where he states that more "Americans now say religion is gaining influence in national life than at any point in the past 15 years," which comes from a Pew Research Center report on October 20, 2025.

Mark and I have been friends for 30 years and have discussed many topics related to faith and the Churches of God.  He is a well-known author and a great person to talk to.  This is our third podcast.  

Career highlights

Areas of focus & contributions

Notable publications

Significance in journalism

Current status

Guy Swenson was my assistant at the Worldwide Church of God for the last two years. We reminisce 30 years later.  It was a painful time that tore apart many relationships and tested faith not from the outside, but from within,

Scott Ashley and I talk about the release of the hostages in Gaza on the day before the Last Great Day.  Scott reminisces about being in Israel when the hostages were taken, a mere 50 miles away.

Scott speaks about long-term peace projection for the Middle East and the world.  

See the earlier podcast done a few days after the hostages were taken.

https://vkubik.podbean.com/e/scott-ashley-return-from-israel-and-witnessing-the-hamas-attack/

After doing the first podcast about Estonia a few days ago, I thought of a few more things.  Give a listen to this 9 minute microcast. 

Greg Dullum and I have known each other for 60 years going back to Minneapolis/St. Paul days of old.  We discuss his continuous newsletter Sabbath Scoop that he has produced in all this time.  Also we discuss his recent article "The Widows Might."  

Greg is an elder in the United Church of God serving in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and can be reached at [email protected].

These are my personal observations from my 60th Feast of Tabernacles.  This one was in Estonia, a country between Russia, the Baltic Sea, and the Nordic countries.  70 of us had a wonderful experience the first two weeks of October 2025.  

Ken Murray and I discuss one of the shortest letters in the Bible, which gives us a wealth of advice about relationships and reconciliation that we could all benefit from. 

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