If you’ve lost the pleasure of marriage, I offer these words of wisdom:

Peace doesn’t always come easy. Over the last few months, there have been relentless attacks against my peace

I was listening to an old NPR spot on the car radio when Celeste Kidd, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, mentioned the well-known “marshmallow test.” The conversation reminded me of the way the Bible talks about fighting sin, and I realized she’d stumbled onto a truth that could help men and women in their fight against pornography. We’re always at our strongest in our fight against sin when we see how it trades away God’s goodness for what’s much less satisfying. Marshmallows and Trust The marshmallow test was a 1960s psychological experiment that measured delayed gratification in children. One group of kids resisted the temptation to eat a marshmallow while the other group couldn’t. The study concluded the first group would have more success in life while the others would struggle to succeed. The test isn’t without methodological problems, but its “findings” are influential enough that they probably shape the way you think about what you’re innately able to do or not do. For instance, have you ever said, “I just can’t seem to help myself”? Sin trades away God’s goodness for what’s much less satisfying. On NPR, Kidd talked about her hypothesis that children can make reasonable decisions when they trust their environment to be stable. With this premise, she changed the marshmallow study in key ways. Kidd’s researchers told two groups of children that if they waited to eat the marshmallow, they’d be given art supplies when the researchers returned to the test room. After a moderate wait, researchers returned to tell the children they could eat the marshmallow, but they gave only one group the art supplies. Group B never got them. Then they concluded that round. In the next round, both groups sat in front of a marshmallow and were told that researchers were leaving to get a second marshmallow. The children were promised both marshmallows if they waited until the researcher returned. Predictably, Group B children didn’t trust the researchers would return, but Group A children did. Kidd concluded children can delay immediate gratification for a future reward in the context of a trusting relationship. Our Trust in God’s Goodness It’s not that different with fighting sin. Just as with Satan’s lie in the garden, and comparable to Kidd’s version of the marshmallow test, doubt lies at the heart of every temptation. Doubt in God’s goodness. A temptation to believe transgression will deliver satisfaction God can’t supply. Each of us is made with a desire to enjoy sexual pleasure. It’s part of God’s benevolent design to provide us comfort, satisfaction, and procreation in marriage. But trusting that design is difficult when the world puts constant marshmallows in your face and tempts you to think the art supplies will never come. Never before in human history have pornographic images been so constantly available. Despite the grave physiological consequences, more and more people fall into porn habits every day. But God can be trusted. All his ethical commands, including the commands to avoid pornea, are given in the context of a loving, trusting relationship. God doesn’t make arbitrary or unnecessary demands. As the psalmist says, The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. (Ps. 19:9–11, NLT) Fighting Porn Starts with Gain, Not Loss God can be trusted because he loves us and wants our good. I’m convinced many Christians lose the fight against porn because we focus on the marshmallow in front of us instead of the promised glory that awaits us. We focus too much on the momentary sexual pleasure we’re losing when we resist temptation rather than on what we gain by obedience. But when we only focus on what we shouldn’t do, our eyes are closed to God’s goodness. Thankfully, loss isn’t how the Bible frames the fight against sin. The way to win the war against porn—or any sin—is to focus on gain. The author of Hebrews tells us that Moses chose “rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward” (Heb. 11:25–26). Moses had come to know that the true and living God could be trusted to be good, and, as a result, he could walk away from the fleeting pleasures of Egypt and embrace temporary suffering for the sake of eternal reward with God. Paul wrote something similar to the Colossians. He didn’t shrink back from telling them what they shouldn’t do. Yes, they were to “put off” the sinful behaviors, ambitions, and desires they’d learned from their pagan culture (Col. 3:9). But they were also to “put on” the life of Christ and count this as great gain (v. 10). Paul assured them, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (v. 4). He reminded the Colossians they’d already been united with Christ. They’d already tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8). They’d seen that God could be trusted, and Paul knew that should inspire them to turn down earthly things and enjoy Christ. Gain Even Now Fighting porn isn’t all about future gain. Jesus Christ’s completed work on the cross allows us to fight sin for gain now. Part of Christ’s work was to disarm sin’s power—yes, even the allure of pornography—so we can resist sinful desires (Col. 2:15). Christ’s steadfastness in the face of suffering makes him able to “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Heb. 4:15). Friends, Jesus knows what the fight against sin takes. Because he’s familiar with the fight, he’s eager to give mercy and grace to those who approach his throne (v. 16). Those united with Christ receive in themselves the same Spirit who sustained Jesus in his earthly ministry. As we walk in the Spirit’s power, we begin to see the goodness of God’s commands and to long for things that bring him joy. As we walk in the Spirit’s power, we begin to see the goodness of God’s commands and to long for things that bring him joy. The cross of Christ kills our old self with its desires and gives us a new life with new desires and joys. We still fight those old desires but do so from a place of Christ’s victory in us, seeing all the more God’s mercy and kindness. Kidd’s study sees this profound truth through a clouded window. We’re at our strongest in our fight against pornography when we see it for the unsatisfying, sad, and solitary marshmallow it is. We win the fight for holiness when we fix our eyes on Christ’s character and the promises we already know he’ll deliver on. The Bible reminds us over and over that God is good so we don’t make the same trade our first parents did. Because God is good, we can resolve not to trade eternity for the temporal, good design for twisted use, or gain for loss.

Geraldo Gets Owned Hard Over Claiming Biden Case is Politically Motivated

An excavation in the historic center of Auxerre, France, has unearthed a necropolis dedicated to stillborn and very young children. It was on the periphery of a larger necropolis for the general population, common for a burial ground for dedicated subgroups, and was in use from the 1st to the 3rd century. The fortified town of Autessiodurum was founded by the Gallic Senones people in 30 B.C. on the banks of the Yonne river. Under Roman rule, it was at the intersection of several important roads, but it didn’t rise to notable political importance until it was made a provincial capital of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. New fortifications enclosed the town in the 4th century. It was under those ramparts that the necropolis was found. The necropolis contains a wide variety of funerary practices. Babies and very young children (toddler age) were buried in ceramic containers, wood coffins, tree bark, stone formwork, texties and long curved roof tiles (imbrex). Sometimes they were covered with amphora fragments or another set of tiles. One grave is marked with a reused stone engraved with a rosette shape. There is evidence of complex muti-stage funerary rituals performed in the burials. Ceramic crockery is broken near the burials on circulation levels, their contents being intended for the dead and the gods. In order to protect these young deceased people, objects intended for protection in the afterlife (called “apotropaic” or “prophylactic”) accompany them, such as a pearl, a coin, a spindle. A miniature ceramic cup was also placed at the head of a young child. […] The very high density of burials and their superposition make it possible to study a very large number of burials and other funerary practices associated with toddlers during the 1st – 3rd centuries . Up to five levels of tombs have been observed, which, in the current state of research, is unique in the Gallo-Roman world where the integrity of the tomb must be preserved. In Auxerre, however, some graves destroy others, which may be linked to a problem of available space but also be linked to the very status of these very young children, not always perceived as individuals in their own right. The excavation of Auxerre, like that of Narbonne and others recently, brings a lot of new knowledge and questions about the funerary practices associated with very young children and stillborns in Antiquity.

Here's what we know so far.

Hey Joe: Where Are All the EV Charging Stations?

Not even a day as solemn as D-Day, wherein we commemorate not just the liberation of Europe but the rescue of Western civilization from Hitler’s evil grasp, is safe from ABC’s relentlessly sycophantic coverage of President Joe Biden. Tonight’s interview was more of the same. Watch as World News Tonight anchor David Muir leads Biden into the left’s standard defense of the verdict handed down by the jury in the Trump business records trial in New York: DAVID MUIR: You did address Donald Trump and the guilty verdicts on 34 felony counts before the American people. You told Americans to respect the jury and the outcome of this case. You were at a campaign fund-raiser and you told the room, "a convicted felon is now seeking the office of a presidency." You called it disturbing. What do you think the American people should make of this? How important do you think this conviction should be in this race for president? JOE BIDEN: That's for the public to decide. But one thing for certain is- stop undermining the rule of law. Stop undermining the institutions. That's what this whole effort is. All the MAGA Republicans are coming out, saying, "This was a fix. This was a jury that -- this was a judge that set up to get Trump." There's no evidence of any of that. None. He's trying to undermine it. Look, he got a fair trial. The jury spoke- like they speak in all cases. And it should be respected. I don’t know what else Biden is supposed to say here except the “stop undermining” stuff. Anything else would be tantamount to looking gift election interference in the mouth. Reasonable people may conclude that what undermined the institutions and rule of law is the conviction of the president’s main political opposition on a statute-limited misdemeanor Frankensteined into a felony. But it was Muir who walked him right into that talking point set piece. The rest of the interview was just as bad. On immigration, Muir gave Biden wide berth to pontificate on executive action. To hear it from Biden, the Senate border bill served no other purpose than to shield him from having to take executive action on the border https://t.co/0H6R93uDJI pic.twitter.com/4sa3Ll9xp0 — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) June 7, 2024 Then there’s the upcoming presidential debate. Muir uses D-Day as a means with which to promote the debate: Muir uses D-Day as a narrative device with which to hype the upcoming debate. Biden says the quiet part out loud. https://t.co/bzMTndfCh0 pic.twitter.com/SLBpWGfXvQ — Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) June 7, 2024 There were also spoon-fed questions on Israel’s war against Gaza, as well as Ukraine. Nothing tough or adversarial. This was an access piece that was immediately followed by a stroll with the Bidens along the American Cemetery at Normandy. This interview, highly questionable by virtue of Biden and staff agreeing to it in the first place, could’ve easily been held back in the United States; The White House, even. To do it on the 80th anniversary of D-Day grossly disrespects those who came ashore on that fateful day, and especially, the memories of those who didn’t make it back. Another desecration of this day.  

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky will co-moderate a presidential debate next month at the FreedomFest conference, but while President Joe Biden and former Presdient Donald Trump have both been invited, neither of them are currently slated to participate.Confirmed participants include Libertarian Chase Oliver, Jill Stein of the Green Party, and Randall Terry of the Constitution Party, according to the Free & Equal Elections Foundation, which also noted that Trump, Biden, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Cornel West have also been invited."I look forward to moderating the Free & Equal Presidential Debate @TheFreedomFest on July 12 from 5 PM to 7 PM PDT at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. Seven candidates have been invited and three have already accepted," Massie tweeted.The lawmaker will moderate the debate with Free & Equal Elections Foundation founder and chair Christina Tobin."It's a dream come true to co-moderate @FreeandEqual's presidential debate at @TheFreedomFest w/Congressional Powerhouse @MassieforKY helping us lift the veil & provide people of this country open & honest discussions about the choice they have in our electoral process!" Tobin tweeted.Trump and Biden are slated to debate later this month and then again in September. The debate later this month will be moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Massie, who supported an unsuccessful push to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from the speakership earlier this year, has indicated that he will not vote for Johnson to remain in the leadership post in the future. "Hell or high water, I won’t vote for him," Massie said, according to NBC News.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

In 1996, 14-year-old Tanya Kach ran away with 38-year-old Tom Hose, who had groomed her into believing she was in love with him. Then, he held her captive for 10 years, subjecting her to constant emotional and sexual abuse. The post The Haunting Story Of Tanya Kach, The Milk Carton Kid Who Was Held Captive By Her School’s Security Guard appeared first on All That's Interesting.