SEASON 3

EPISODE 11

MOTHER'S DAY – A TRIBUTE TO MY MOM

Hello everyone. Sidney St. James, your host for today's show.

It's the time of year when we stop and pay honor to the first woman we have ever loved, our mothers. Mothers are superheroes... our greatest American Hero. They do it all.  No matter how challenging life gets, moms have a way of making everything so much better. As most of you probably already know, my mother, Dorothy (Dot), has now gone to Heaven, as I've discussed her on other broadcasts. I even nicknamed her the Queen of the House. She could light up a room with her broad smile. Mom raised me up to love the Lord and be tough, so when I came up against hurdles and fell, I could get back up, brush myself off, and keep on with my race.  I could count on my Mom for anything, and she had the best sense of humor, which I am happy I inherited. My Mother, DOROTHY MAUREEN SLATON STRUSS, is no longer with us, but every year on Mother's Day, I can't help but think about her and all the fun times growing up with her in my mind and my heart. From planting tulips around the house to the Blue Lilly of the Nile in various places of the yard. Today, Mother's Day, I would like to open up with a passage about Mother's Day, found on Page 313 in my Novel "Faith – Seventy Times Seven." Again, thanks for joining me on this special day as we all celebrate our mothers and stepmothers, past and present!

IF WOMEN HAD JUST KEPT SILENT IN THE CHURCH… THERE WOULDN'T BE A CHURCH. STRONG STATEMENT… BUT THAT'S THE FACT, JACK!!!

SEASON 3

EPISODE 10

PREQUEL TO MOTHER'S DAY PODCAST

THE TRUE STORY OF THE REVEREND MRS. ADA CASTON SLATON BONDS OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

In yellowed and dogeared Red Chief notebooks dating from 1914 to the 1960s, she told a part of her memoirs of the difficulties of being accepted as a woman in the church.

One Sunday, a man walked out of her church, the Progress Cumberland Presbyterian Church, outside the small town of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. Having not researched the congregation before visiting, he was apparently appalled to discover the pastor of this tiny house of worship was a woman. Yep, that’s right… a woman preaching the Word of God. Can you imagine that? He wrote to her later to explain that if she would just go and STUDY THE BIBLE, then she would come to the understanding that women were not allowed to teach men about Christ. This was in 1918 when the Progress Cumberland Presbyterian Church was celebrating its 8th Birthday. This same woman applied for ordination with the Presbyterian Church in 1914 at this same church when it was only four years old.  According to her writings, it didn't bother her as she had dealt with this kind of mentality for the last 6 years. In her own words, she said, "That's how long it took for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church to give me my ordination as a minister in the church after my first application. That's how long it took for me to pass every known obstacle they threw at me. How did the stranger put it, "GO AND STUDY MY BIBLE."

The full true story can be found in FAITH - SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN. Caution must be exercised because some of Ada's struggles are quite graphical and in some cases, violence will break your heart! This story is true! One that ends with the Ku Klux Klan No. 60 taking matters into their own hands to protect who they called the Mother of All Presbyteries... the woman they said reflected PURE WOMANHOOD!

Season 3

Episode 9

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A SUPERHERO WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?

Hello everyone! Sidney St. James here with another exciting and different kind of subject matter than I usually talk about on my podcasts. Last night, I had a dream… a dream that seemed so real. Not the kind Martin Luther King had, but one that was totally different. As I always do during such a dream, after I wakened in sweat and threw the covers off me, I jumped up and ran to my computer and began typing. I learned from attending one of Stephen King's webinars that is where his best stories come from. So, I rushed to my laptop at 2:30 in the morning and began writing. Whatever IT was, a red glow hung above my three brother's beds in what our dad once called the mule stables. It was 1965. Then, my brothers all started screaming, and then suddenly, there was total silence. The red glow disappeared. I sat in bed with my knees up, held by my two arms, rocking back and forth. It was then that I began my next novel, my version of "The Body Snatchers! – It Happened One Night"

Well, that's not what this post is about, but it does deal with dreams. In my case today, it deals with dreams of flying and superheroes.

I sometimes wonder if this kind of post is a good idea.

Self-disclosure can be a dominant teaching aid when applied judiciously, and I've used it with my kids and, believe it or not, with my employees from time to time in the earlier businesses I once owned.  But, after all the years I've lived on this Earth, I find that it gets a little eerie when splattered about on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, and I end up learning way too much about some people, more than we would probably like to know.  Many of us feel like we're the only one experiencing a situation. We are surprised to learn that others have gone through the same darn thing or something much similar.  So, at the peril of appearing self-absorbed and egotistic, I share experiences and hopefully lessons learned from my own life, hoping that it may help someone else who might be struggling with their own issues.  I bet you're like me if you will just admit it. I often used to ask myself what my ole Dad would do. After he told me, I would immediately run, and I did the opposite.  See, right there, I listened and learned!

So, again, thanks for joining me for my broadcast today. I hope you enjoy my story of my brothers and me, who once were the Greatest of American Superheroes!

Top of the Day, Everyone! This is Sidney St. James, your host today, as we talk about the POWER OF PRAYER. Sometimes I think the most challenging part of being a Christian is acknowledging that there are many of our friends and family we hold deeply in our hearts who do not agree with the same convictions as we do. They don’t recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; they may not even acknowledge God. It might be parents, siblings, maybe even our children or nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors. As a Christian, no matter, who that person is, it causes me pain, anxiety, and fear and I am sure it does you to.

As a father, grandfather, and Godfather to many little ones, many people do in fact, in my life do fit into the non-Christian type. This, my friends, causes me so much pain, but mostly, it makes me very fearful.

I know exactly where I will be when I leave this life, and that thought gives me great pleasure. It really does. But I also know it’s only by the grace of God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I’ve been given that opportunity. It was handed to me as a choice, and I took it. I chose it.

I also know that on that big day of judgment,

every knee shall bow, and EVERY tongue will confess.

*****

Some Best-Selling Novels from Sidney St. James:

A Victorian Romance (Author’s Choice!)

I am Woman – Hear Me Roar!

I Am Woman – I Am Invincible!

A Paranormal Romance:

Nevaeh – The Lost City of Nemea by Sidney St. James, Part I

Crux Ansata – The Lost City of Ankara Part II

A Two-Part Romance Mystery:

True Love Ways – Sometimes we Sigh, Part I

I Go to Pieces – Sequel to True Love Ways, Part II

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SEASON 3

EPISODE 6

1375-1300 BC

Samson and Delilah's Shocking Love Story

From the Book of Judges in the Bible

Hello everyone. Your host Sidney St. James with you today. I had been "clicking" up a storm on my novel No. 51, a murder mystery called "Murder in the Prairie Edge Museum," when suddenly, a thought hit me. I don't understand why this occurs, but I was way up in the present day in my hometown murder mystery when I thought of another loving relationship from way back in 1350 BC. I know… how in the world could a romance mystery novel written in 2022 have anything to do with a romance so far back in Biblical Times. Right? Well, I think of all sorts of romances when writing a book and the one I wish to talk to you today about is a duzzy. And you think Judas was an awful betrayest. You've got another thing coming today.

In my first episode of Season 3, I mention that most of my novels have some sort of input from the Bible. Maybe it's only a prayer, dream, or thought before pulling a trigger, but there's always something. Oh, and yes, even Satan and Archangel solving a disagreement in my Storm Lord Trilogy Series. So, when I finish the novel, you will see something in "Murder in the Prairie Edge Museum," scheduled for release in the Fall of this year, that brings out a specific scene from something from the Bible.

My story comes today from taking my infamous time machine back… way back to the 1300s before the birth of Jesus Christ. I've never gone so far back before, but I think I'm ready for the test.

(TICKLE. TICKLE. TICKLE)

We have stopped. The sun rises on the Book of Judges, which can be difficult to understand sometimes about how Righteousness in a World Without Rights or Wrongs can possibly exist.

When we point to wholesome examples of relationships in the Bible to strengthen our own relationships or marriages, we obviously don't mean to talk about the so-called "love story" between a man and woman known as Samson and Delilah. However, until this broadcast, I didn't know that.

For those unfamiliar with the story...

Samson, a judge God had appointed over Israel, decided to disrupt every rule in the book. Even though his family took a Nazarite vow, he didn’t follow the guidelines by any stretch. Instead, he wreaked havoc and revenge on the Philistines in often violent ways, but worst of all…he fell heads over heels in love with Delilah.

Season 3

Episode 5

Finding the Foe for Satan to Battle in

"The Three Keys of Armageddon"

What Are Archangels in the Bible?

Welcome everyone today. I'm Sidney St. James, your host. Thanks for joining me in discussing the making of "The Storm Lord Trilogy Series," a paranormal romance. Beginning right away in my opening narrative, I wrote a paranormal romance series where the main characters were Satan and Angelica Thompson, a prolific writer who moves to Black Rock Cove in Oregon. She goes for a walk her first night and experiences something she's just not sure what it was or what really happened. Was it a dream? Was she playing out a part of her new novel? Was it something she ate that gave her hallucinations?

While Satan is one of two of the main characters in the book, I had just finished the second book, "Nine Months Will Tell," when I watched the movie Twilight's concluding novel portrayed in that series. Wow, right? That ending was absolutely FANTASTIC! Well, I knew I needed to take my time and develop a dramatic conclusion to my series, as well. So, who better to give Satan a run for his money than his baby brother, Archangel Michael? So, my research began to complete studying the Chief of Angels for God, and today, my notes are presented on What are Archangels in the Bible?

Archangel Michael is God's No. 1 Angel, leading all the angels in heaven. He is also known as Saint Michael. Many scholars around the world say that Michael means "Who is like God?"

Michael's main characteristics are extraordinary strength and courage. Michael battles for good to prevail over evil and empowers believers to set their faith in God on fire with passion. In addition, he protects and defends people who love God. He is known to help carry their souls to heaven. Wow! Now, that is just the kind of person I needed to fight such great evil as Lucifer. The only thing I needed was an answer from my wife to the question, "People expect Archangel Michael to defeat Satan. Should I have Satan defeating him in the final novel?" Well… she gave me her answer, but I don't always listen to her.

In further research, I found the Sword of Defense, which I buried in a cave to be found, but not without Satan almost stopping the discovery. Now get this… my wife sits across from me in her own office and is the go-to person when I am trying to decide if "I kill off a character or let good win or evil." Believe it or not, she reads lots of books and says what's on her mind. If I could, I would dedicate all my novels to her, but she knows that, and that's what matters.

A Prayer to Conclude the three-part series on Easter 2022 by Sidney St. James.

Season 3 Episode 4 EASTER SUNDAY – THE RESURRECTION A SERIES: PART 3 OF 3 APRIL 21, 2022 

Welcome, everyone, to my Easter Podcast for this year. This is your host, Sidney St. James. I still remember a small brick building outside Coushatta, Louisiana, called the Bethany Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where I attended my grandmother, the Reverend Ada Caston Slaton Bonds' Easter Sermon. Although there still remain notes from many of her sermons from the early 1900s, a few pages still remained where she spoke of Good Friday and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Reverend Ada Slaton Bonds put everything she had each year into her Easter sermons. They were always one of the key messages she would preach every year. If your church is like most, you will see the highest number of visitors all year long, whether in person or virtually via Youtube Live or Facebook Live streaming. Many of these guests aren't coming from other houses of worship but are spiritual seekers attending the broadcast to learn why Easter matters. But it's not just about attendance. My Easter Podcast matters because we are celebrating the most climactic event of human history—the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! As I share the Story of the FIRST Easter with you today, you'll have an important opportunity to tell non-believers why Jesus' death, His burial, and His resurrection matters so much to them. My Easter Podcast is significant because of my opportunity to share the gospel, but Easter sermons tend to be more challenging because I have to come up with one every year, unlike fresh subject matter each week. I can't just repeat my Podcast or resubmit an older blog post. I need to develop a new way to engage my listening audience with the same core resurrection message I have given so many times before. So, strap in and get ready for something fresh… something meaningful… something extraordinary as we once again celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! SOUNDBITE AFTER THE OPENING STATEMENT OF PODCAST. MAIN NARRATIVE STORY And now, on with my Story. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Christian faith hasn't any hope to stand upon. Right? But if God, in fact, raised Jesus from the dead, nothing else really matters, and no one can argue that Christianity isn't true. I know I said "IF," but follow me in my message, and it will all become clear. All Christians doubt their devotion from time to time, for whatever reason it might be. Plus, it's Easter Sunday when I produced this Podcast, and I know I'm talking to non-believers, as well. So, it's an ideal time to help believers and non-believers understand just how reliable the historical accounts of the resurrection are. If this isn’t your first time hearing my show, you already know I'm a history nut. Lol. I know I'm talking history now, and that takes into account more than one reading of each of the scriptures I based my presentation on today. Remember. The first reading is the reflection reading… just what you think you read. Then, you go back and read it more slowly and look at each word as you interpret what you're reading. Because Christ's resurrection is at the hub of the Christian faith, you can locate a variety of scriptures touching on the validity of the resurrection. However, for this Podcast, it's best to narrow our focus to passages highlighting eyewitnesses to the resurrection and those who recorded the gospels who recorded their scriptures from listening to a story two times removed.

Season 3

Episode 3

On Thursday, Judas – The Kiss of Death

A Series: Part 2 of 3-Part Podcast

Hello Everyone. Thank you for joining me for Part II of my Easter Series, "Judas – The Kiss of Death." This is your host, Sidney St. James, to give you my ideas of why Judas betrayed Jesus, if he, in fact, betrayed him. Many inconsistencies and irrational aspects of Judas' actions in the gospels challenge his traditional depiction. As I always do, I study the scriptures repeatedly before I comment. First, Judas' can't be proven guilty of betrayal from the accounts in the Gospels. Instead, he is charged as a greed-infested traitor who broke his sacred connection to Jesus.

However, one cannot determine Judas' finite motive for betrayal from the Gospel accounts. Why did he do what he did? The lack of agreement in these testimonials does raise many questions about the historical accuracy of 2000 years ago about Judas Iscariot.

Although many people followed Jesus throughout his ministry, sometimes providing houses and sometimes caring for his biological needs such as food, most of us know that Jesus had twelve followers he especially selected. These would make up the twelve apostles of Jesus. The most infamous is Judas Iscariot, who, after two and a half years of following Jesus during Jesus' public ministry, turned his very good friend over to the religious leaders to be tried and ultimately crucified. So, again I ask you, why in the world did Judas betray Jesus?

After all, if I think back to my high school days at Eagle Lake High School or college years at Texas A&M, I can't help but remember close friends who stuck with me for three-plus years in college and twelve years in high school… even if we had a falling out with them, could I possibly imagine betraying them and leading them to their deaths? I surely hope not!

How far past scandalous is the idea that a man who spent every day with Jesus for almost three long years suddenly turned his back on him almost overnight. In this presentation today, we'll discuss why Judas deceived Jesus and why in the world did Judas ended his own life when he recognized the repercussions of his dealings.

Let's get on with the show now. And again, thanks for dropping by today!

Season 3

Episode 2

Jesus Christ's Last Supper with His Disciples Part I of Three-Part Podcast

Were You There the Day Jesus Died

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 18 He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'" 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. 20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 They were unfortunate and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely you don't mean me, Lord?" 23 Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he were not born." 25 Then Judas, who would betray him, said, "Surely you don't mean me, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "You have said so." 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.