The post How to Personalize Your Blog Like These 10 Top Bloggers appeared first on ProBlogger.

Lots of bloggers seem to do everything right, yet they don’t see much success. They write well-structured posts, they pay attention to SEO, they know the ins and outs of their blogging software … but something’s lacking. That missing “something” can often be personality. It’s the difference between a blog ...more

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The post What Can Bloggers Learn from Pickleball? appeared first on ProBlogger.

I may be late to the party but I’ve just discovered Pickleball! And after playing almost daily since my first hit, I have to admit I’m a little bit addicted… Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is not just a pastime with a quirky name—it’s ...more

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So how can we create a culture of generosity and abundance in our lives and parishes? This is the key question Bill Marianes raises on this episode of Stewardship Calling. Stay tuned for a big announcement at the end of the show regarding expanded programming from Bill on AFR.

This past weekend Google sent out a round of manual penalty notices citing “unnatural outbound links” – later confirmed to be targeting sites publishing compensated content and reviews where the blogger is linking out to the brand or site that compensated them. If your site received the notice, you'll find some advice for fixing your…

The post How Bloggers Can Fix a Manual Penalty Caused by Compensated Content & Reviews appeared first on Sugarrae.

Fr. Joseph speaks at an ecumenical gathering about how the Orthodox work out their salvation.

It's not often—in the life of a small parish–that the mortgage goes away and a new priest is on the way. Fr Joseph offers that news in St Silouan/College Station. Glory to God for all things!

Fr. Joseph interviews Fr. Matthew Snowden of St Nicholas Mission/Jackson, Tennessee—on the struggles and joys of shepherding a fledgling Orthodox community

Prayer is not simply talking to God, worrying in Jesus' name—or watching a live-stream!

Fr. John shares his homily on Haggai, chapters 1 and 2.

Fr. John shares from Acts 3:1-8. "We, apart from God's grace, are unable to offer God the true and spiritual worship that He requires of us. But if we will come to the Temple and beg for His mercy, He will say to us, 'Rise up and walk.' If we've come and still feel ourselves to be spiritual cripples, we need to not give up, but take every opportunity to come to the Temple of God, because this is where what we need spiritually is to be found."

Fr. John Whiteford preaches about the healing of the blind man from John 9:1-7.

Fr. John Whiteford shares a homily from Proverbs 6:6-11 and Luke 16:19-31.

Fr. John reflects on his visit to the country of Moldova, and the state of the family.

Financial pressures in our Orthodox Churches are very real and often cause great worry and anxiety. As a result, we, both clergy and laity, can lose our focus and get our priorities out of order. Using the terms “Prophet” and “Profit” to symbolize two different mentalities (not suggesting Churches are trying to make a profit in the conventional sense) join Michael as he discusses what our priorities should be and what results proper focus on them would yield.

Have you ever felt like you were wrestling or struggling with God, like your life was out of control, the future was unknown or something to be feared, and you were at a loss about what to do? Your prayers seem unanswered and God seems silent. Join Michael as he recounts the story of Jacob and shows how Jacob’s story and his struggle with God is our story.

Join Michael is a discussion on our need to navigate the difficult liminal spaces in our lives with patience and discernment, as illustrated beautifully in the story of St. Mary of Egypt, and how it is possible to overcome sin and depravity to fulfill our calling to become saints and living icons of Christ.

Don't look for the easy way out of pain. Do not deny the reality of your doubts, your struggles and your sins. Be who-you-are before Christ, so that He may save the truth of who-you-are.

Some people thrive and others collapse fought by the same temptations, in the same context, surrounded by the same people. St Paisius the Agiorite (St Paisius of the Holy Mountain) and St John of the Ladder teach us that a joyful disposition of the heart and the determination to see goodness in everyone can make the difference between spiritual life and death. We need to train our thoughts to always 'translate' the situations we face into good examples, into sources of strength, virtue and beauty. Depending on whether we decode this world through a lens of love or one of condemnation, the same temptations can feed the Divine Image in us or the nothingness in us.

He was born in Babylon, of the priestly tribe of Levi, during the captivity of the Jews. After their return to Jerusalem, the Jews began to rebuild the Temple and to worship there according to the Law, but were discouraged by opposition from the local population (many of them Jews who had not gone into captivity). So God raised up the holy Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (February 8) to stir the people to complete their sacred work. Haggai's prophecies reveal that the drought that the Hebrews were suffering was brought about by their failure to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and would only end when they rededicated themselves to their work. He is ranked tenth among the minor Prophets.

He was born in Babylon, of the priestly tribe of Levi, during the captivity of the Jews. After their return to Jerusalem, the Jews began to rebuild the Temple and to worship there according to the Law, but were discouraged by opposition from the local population (many of them Jews who had not gone into captivity). So God raised up the holy Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (February 8) to stir the people to complete their sacred work. Haggai's prophecies reveal that the drought that the Hebrews were suffering was brought about by their failure to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and would only end when they rededicated themselves to their work. He is ranked tenth among the minor Prophets.

He was born in Babylon, of the priestly tribe of Levi, during the captivity of the Jews. After their return to Jerusalem, the Jews began to rebuild the Temple and to worship there according to the Law, but were discouraged by opposition from the local population (many of them Jews who had not gone into captivity). So God raised up the holy Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (February 8) to stir the people to complete their sacred work. Haggai's prophecies reveal that the drought that the Hebrews were suffering was brought about by their failure to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and would only end when they rededicated themselves to their work. He is ranked tenth among the minor Prophets.

He was born in Babylon, of the priestly tribe of Levi, during the captivity of the Jews. After their return to Jerusalem, the Jews began to rebuild the Temple and to worship there according to the Law, but were discouraged by opposition from the local population (many of them Jews who had not gone into captivity). So God raised up the holy Prophets Haggai and Zechariah (February 8) to stir the people to complete their sacred work. Haggai's prophecies reveal that the drought that the Hebrews were suffering was brought about by their failure to complete the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and would only end when they rededicated themselves to their work. He is ranked tenth among the minor Prophets.

Rita discusses how we can face our health struggles in a way that aids in the healing and growth of our souls in Christ.

Using one of the major hymns for the feast of Palm Sunday, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick talks about the struggle to pray, how it works and why it's worth doing.

So, what do you plan to say to the beggar you see waitng for you on the next block?

Matthew continues his exploration of those encounters with those we may prefer to avoid. He introduces us to David who would impact him for many years to come.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony gives ten suggestions, ranging from practical advice on how to pass the liturgical baton to the need for humility and attentiveness—that will help chanters and singers witness to the peace, harmony, and beauty of God during the Divine Liturgy and other services.

Try not to fall, but if you do, just get back up again.

In honor of Parenting Month at Ancient Faith, Raising Saints is flipping it around: instead of talking about how adults can feed the faith of children, we're considering the impact this process has on the parents, and the many ways in which raising saints can transform one into a saint.

I was speaking to an eighteen year old recently who told me about her bucket list: things she wanted to do before she dies. At the time, I didn’t think much about it. In fact, it seemed rather mature of her to have such specific goals. However, as I have thought about it, I’ve begun to suspect that having a bucket list is a symptom of a particular disease in our culture. What we do does not define who we are, it manifests who we are.

Christ came to restore sight to the blind beggars of the world. Let us embrace the disciplines and spirit of the Nativity Fast in ways that will help us see that that is precisely who we are. Let us acquire the humility necessary to receive and share the peace that He was born to bring to the world. That is how we must all prepare to welcome Him into our hearts and lives at Christmas.

St. Basil the Great, who gave away his great wealth to found philanthropic ministries for the sick and needy, taught that the Lord’s strict words to this man revealed his lack of love for his neighbors. Basil wrote that “Those who love their neighbors as themselves possess nothing more than their neighbor; yet surely, you seem to have great possessions! How else can this be, but that you have preferred your own enjoyment to the consolation of the many…For the more you abound in wealth, the more you lack in love.” The young ruler had laid up treasures for himself on earth and had given his heart to them. (Matt. 6: 19-21)

The Miracle of the Red Egg by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson, illustrated by Daria Fisher (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2013).

The Miracle of the Red Egg by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson, illustrated by Daria Fisher, Ancient Faith Publishing (2012)

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Preface, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 1, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 2, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 3, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 4, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 5, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 6, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 7, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 8, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 9, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.

Great Lent Unplugged: The Funny, Terrible, Wonderful Journey to Pascha, Chapter 10 and Conclusion, by Jean Hoefling (Regina Orthodox Press, 2007) Available on Amazon.