Beggar for the Spirit

Dan Marino is 1 of my favorite QBs of all time!. Love the Dolphins!

Hi Sister Gretel, A big NFL fan here. I play in Fantasy Football leagues with brothers. My favorite teams are: Arizona Cardinals Miami Dolphins Denver Broncos Jacksonville Jaguars Why are some brothers/sisters in your area talking NFL now? Because of the many interesting Free Agent signings? Looking forward to the NFL Draft next month!

Hi Tim, I may have misunderstood. But I was sad to learn that you were quite sad. ”…pouring out my heart to this lovely older couple when suddenly the sister stepped forward, hugged me tightly” The following thoughts are a bit long, but I hope somehow these thoughts touch you and raise you up!

Hi Tim, I hope the following thoughts help when you contemplate the questions you are struggling with. So, not just principles, but Jehovah’s laws also, give us deep insight into the wise and loving thinking of the Grand Lawgiver! Any law from Jehovah, actually comes with principles wrapped inside it!!! So when Jehovah gave ancient Israel a specific law, He was giving them certain principles also, which were imbedded in that specific law (Ex) When Jesus was asked to summarize the entire Law, he gave the 2 greatest principles from inside the Law that involved love So really then, it is not Principles vs Laws. It is love for Jehovah’s principles AND laws. 😍 While Bible principles are fundamental truths Jehovah’s Laws are based on those truths and are needed for specific circumstances. No wonder the Psalmist said, “How I do love your law! I ponder over* it all day long.” You were asking questions about what it would be like for you, if you had been an Israelite? Good meditation! I think that Israel could be compared to a child. Spiritually speaking. Why do I say that? Today we have 66 “vaults” or books of Jehovah’s great wisdom! Israel did not have any spiritual books, scrolls, until the 10 Commandments. So this young “child” needed laws quickly! Those laws helped Israel greatly and protected them. And as an Israelite, you would have loved those laws, why? Because like King Asa, you would have searched for God, you have today, and rooted out apostasy in Judah. Because you would have studied deeply God’s laws, like you do today, and you would have meditated on them, which would have strengthened your love for what is good and your hatred for what is bad! If you had been a Israelite in the first century, after the Messiah had come to Israel, you would have heard the Apostle Paul tell you and all his fellow Jews something like this: I love that expression! By the Jews having learned Jehovah’s divine laws ”…such ones had the advantage of possessing a “framework of the knowledge and of the truth” concerning Jehovah and his righteous principles. So my conclusion about Tim is this: Tim loves Jehovah Tim loves to study the deeper aspects of Jehovah’s laws & principles. Tim cares deeply about how his Father Jehovah views him and so he strives to be a man of integrity despite struggling with the ugly self-doubts that are inside many of us, including myself! And Tim has a great advantage! Because he digs and digs to find Jehovah’s precious gems, Tim has the advantage of possessing the now advanced “framework of the knowledge and of the truth” concerning Jehovah and his righteous principles! Therefore, Tim will always be growing spiritually and in faith too because he will… ….always do his best to confront any “private doubts”, “frustrations” or "private" sins and he will slowly strip them away with Jehovah’s help because Tim will always be striving to put on the beautiful “New Personality’ made in the image of our wonderful Father ….always do his best to work on erasing, deleting, destroying any wrong feelings that have arisen that “criticize” those taking the lead And he will always “survive without encouragement from others” if necessary, because although we like encouragement and love from others, yearn for it even, Tim’s faith will continue growing due to the encouragement and love from just 1 person! From Jehovah, whose encouragement and love far outweighs 8 million fellow brothers/sisters!

QUESTION: For those of you who have JW Library running nicely on a virtual machine, Waydroid, Wine, etc? Are you able to sync all your study notes? Or is JW Library just the basic library with no personal notes, highlighting, etc?

Yes, I think this may be a common reaction. A problem we have is that we know someone powerful, almighty who can end our pain. So we ask the Almighty to please make our suffering go away. But if nothing changes, then… “Why hasn’t Jehovah taken this away yet?” But right now, Jehovah is not the God of “all removal” (of suffering). Why? Because we know that greater issues are involved during this “universal court case” still on going. So instead, a Witness must view Jehovah in 1 of His roles during this “landmark court case”. His role is the “God of all comfort who comforts (me) in all (my) trials” How does our loving and active Father “comfort” us during our trials?  “When anxieties overwhelmed me, You comforted and soothed me.” (Psalm 94:19) “He heals the brokenhearted; he binds up their wounds.” (PS. 147:3) What does Jehovah want us to know from these inspired words? That He, our loving Father, “binds up our wounds” both during and after the trial. Our Father soothes and he “heals” us both during and after the pain/suffering. Therefore… we don’t need to see the end of a trial to feel Jehovah’s comfort. we don’t need our pain to end to know that Jehovah cares about us! Instead… “feel” Jehovah’s comfort during your trial. “sense” Jehovah soothing you during the suffering. “appreciate” Jehovah’s healing you during your pain. How do I feel, sense, and appreciate Jehovah during my suffering? By taking notice of everything little thing and big thing He sends you: Holy Spirit, “a word spoken at the right time—how good it is!”, a dear friend, elders, help from others, His soothing promises in the Bible, and much more!

Hi Tim, Do you think this idea could tie in with your good story? Your post reminded me of the possibility of why the apples in PROV 25:11 don’t just have silver carvings, but are made of gold. We know that gold is a precious metal, very valuable. So a good word spoken at the right time is like gold, very valuable! But also, if I give you as a gift, apples made of yarn or even made of wood with silver carvings, these may also look nice. And you may appreciate my effort in making this gift and you may even like the wood or yarn design of the apples But how long will my gift of wood or yarn apples last? 5 years? 20 years? Gold however, is 1 of the most stable elements in the periodic table! So if I give as a gift, apples made of gold, how long will your gift last? Well gold is resistant to corrosion and can last thousands of years! So a good word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in another way, besides being very valuable! For example, the nice couple you had lunch with, had precious cards saved from the 1970s onward. But if those cards were good words given at the right time, or read again at a right time when they were in need of comfort or encouragement, then like apples, not of wood or yarn, but of gold, 1 of the most stable and long lasting elements that exist, then there is a possibility that a comforting card, or an encouraging email, or a touching word verbally spoken at just the right time may last as long as gold, for thousands of years!!! 😮 And what if those valuable, precious words are remembered by someone when they enter into the New World? What will happen to those precious words they had barely remembered in the “Old World”, but now their mind and memory has progressed to perfection? The result may be that a perfect mind with a perfect memory that perfectly recalls those precious, valuable words that were a gift to them way back in 2026 or in 1978, could be remembered FAR longer than just thousands of years!!! 🧠

Good post by @Dolce vita Thanks for reminding us of that important talk in the AM 2025 So now to add to how we may be “emotionally protected” at Armageddon. A HELPER What did Jesus refer to Holy Spirit as when he promised that he would send it after returning to heaven? A “Helper“ (pa·raʹkle·tos) which can be understood also as a “comforter; encourager; advocate.” Our Father’s Holy Spirit is a powerful force! So for those under its influence, they can display His wonderful qualities in ANY situation. So what is 1 valuable quality that Holy Spirit will produce in you after Armageddon? JOY — That immense feeling of joy after Armageddon will bring us great comfort and encouragement!!! SOMETHING BEYOND WHAT A NORMAL PERSON HAS When there is serious trouble, a crisis, conflict, war, a normal human only has certain ways to cope. But for those under the very potent influence of Jehovah’s Spirit, what will happen to such ones after the Great War of Armageddon? Jesus will send to each of us the “Helper”, the “Comforter”, which will help us to have “power beyond what is normal” to handle anything! Here is a great example we can remember if we get worried about Armageddon: 1 of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Stephen, was dragged before 71 of the most powerful men in the nation of Israel. False accusers were brought in to give deceiving testimony. Imagine the wide range of human emotions that Stephen was feeling in that terrifying situation! But something happened beyond what a normal person has in them during such traumatic situations: The “High Priest Caiaphas, who presided over the court a few months earlier when Jesus was condemned to death”, along with the 71 powerful members of the Sanhedrin, “noticed something rather surprising about Stephen—his face looked “like an angel’s face.”—Acts 6:13-15. (w18) How could Stephen remain calm and serene in such an intimidating situation? Only with help, by means of a ”Pa·raʹkle·tos” or “Helper”, “Comforter”, “Before he was dragged before the Sanhedrin, Stephen had been fully immersed in his ministerial work under the powerful influence of God’s spirit. When he was on trial, that same spirit was operating on him, both as a comforter and as a remembrancer.” (John 14:16, ftn.) (w18) So after Armageddon, you will not be transformed into an angelic creature, but… with Holy Spirit operating on you, your face will become “like an angel’s face”, full of serenity and joy!!! No wonder the Psalmist under inspiration said this! “You, O Jehovah, are my helper and comforter.“ —Ps. 86:17.

Please be comforted! 🥰 Because after Armageddon, we will not be sad or devastated or have any form of survivor’s guilt, why? Notice the following scripture the Governing Body applied to how the Israelites felt after being delivered through the Red Sea: We are going to experience 1 of the greatest miracles in world history at Armageddon! We are going to see firsthand Jehovah’s power! We are going to see our Father’s love in action, protecting us & delivering us! And like the Israelites did, we too will express our joy in songs of praise and thanksgiving! *** w96 4/1 p. 15 Praise the King of Eternity! *** As Moses and all Israel celebrated Jehovah’s victory at the Red Sea, there will be great rejoicing after Armageddon

Hey Tim, As you told your story, I was imagining you at the restaurant with your new friend. I could picture you in the restaurant feeling cozy with hot grilled cheese, soup, drink and warm conversation. 🍲 🥪 As for your “inner conflict” about Armageddon, along with the good expressions by the sisters above, the right way to feel at Armageddon is to feel how our Father Jehovah will feel. So here are some thoughts on how Jehovah may feel at Armageddon: NOT HAPPY, NO REJOICING “Do I take any pleasure at all in the death of a wicked person? “Do I not prefer that he turn away from his ways and keep living? “I do not take any pleasure in the death of anyone, . . . so turn back and live.” (Ezek. 18:23, 32) YET HAPPY, REJOICING We know that Jehovah has a grand purpose to sanctify His own name and establish a glorious Kingdom rule over the earth. So how does Jehovah feel when He accomplishing His purposes? Maybe the Grand Creator will express Himself similar to when He was accomplishing another major purpose many centuries ago: “After that God saw everything he had made, and look! it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31) So at Armageddon , if we try our best to imitate our Father Jehovah, we will not be happy, not be rejoicing, finding no pleasure in the death of anyone, no matter how wicked they became. But at the same time we will be happy, rejoicing, and taking great pleasure in watching first hand how Jehovah is accomplishing His purposes of sanctifying His great name and establishing his loving Sovereignty on earth. 🎉

(AI generated comment) Haha, just kidding Lance, that was my fake AI comment! Those are my words about you. You are very good brother and friend! 😎

Thanks for answering my question Brother Kim I am sending you a PM, please let me know if you received it, thanks 😎

Hi Brother Kim, Can you share with us about how you do “self-hosting”? Does it require a lot of work/effort? Curious how beneficial this is for privacy/security? Thanks! 😎

I wanted to start a topic to see if any brothers/sisters here have an EV or used to have one? Any advice about EVs? Are there other Pros & Cons besides these ones? BENEFITS Cost Savings: Lower running costs compared to gasoline vehicles. Convenience: Ability to charge at home! No more dealing with gasoline or gas stations Performance: Quicker acceleration and instant torque, a very responsive & smooth driving experience Regenerative Braking: This technology captures energy while braking, extending range and reducing wear on brake components. Tax Credits & Incentives: Many governments offer financial incentives, tax credits, or rebates that can significantly lower the overall cost Reduced Noise Pollution: EVs operate much more quietly than gas motor vehicles, contributing to far less “noise pollution”, especially in urban areas. Environmental Impact: Zero tailpipe emissions, contributing to reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions! Even greater benefits when charging with renewable sources like solar energy. This is my favorite one, a small way we can help to take better care of this precious “home” we received from our Father 🌍 CHALLENGES Limited Range: Many EVs have a much shorter driving range compared to gasoline vehicles, which can lead to "range anxiety." Charging Time: Charging an EV typically takes much longer than refueling a gasoline car, with fast charging stations still requiring at least 30 minutes. Battery Degradation: Over time, EV batteries can lose capacity, reducing range and performance, and expensive replacements may be needed Environmental Concerns: Although contributing to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, there may be environmental impact due to issues with battery disposal. Electricity Dependent: Anxieties can rise when in rural areas or regions where there are few or no charging stations. Also electricity/power outages can limit how far you are able to travel. QUESTIONS What has been your experience? Does an EV truly save more money or cost more? Are there any other benefits or challenges that people may be unaware of?

Many people seem to enjoy the taste of wine. As for me, I have never really liked any kind of alcohol. However, if a person is having some stomach problems or gastrointestinal issues, well the Oxford Companion to Wine describes wine as “man’s oldest documented medicine” which we know is in harmony with the Bible. We also have an article that quoted the book The Origins and Ancient History of Wine which reported: “It has been shown experimentally that living typhoid and other dangerous microbes rapidly die when mixed with wine.” So the purpose of this topic is to ask: Has anyone had any experience with wine helping their stomach issues? Which wines might be the best “medicine”? And is it best to drink wine before or during or after eating a meal? Looking forward to your comments, thanks 🍷

I like this good article Sister Hannah @TheKid23 found about modesty and humility. 👍 I appreciate many of the older articles like this one from 1962. And while we of course need to make sure when reading older articles that the teachings are in agreement with today’s current understanding, it seems most points in this article seem to still be current. Now although the article mentions there are some different shades of meaning to “modest”, if we keep reading there is an important paragraph that gives an explanation that likely the FDS of today would very much agree with: Now a question some might have is, “But how about 1 of the other shades of meaning such as, “Modest” and “modesty” are also used in the sense of chasteness, decency and propriety”, Jehovah is chaste and decent right? So then couldn’t Jehovah be modest also in this sense?“ Yes Jehovah is chaste, upright, etc, but here is the reason why we shouldn’t define Jehovah as being “modest” in this other sense of the meaning: I put those 2 important points from that article in “bullet points” because while we might initially think that because Jehovah is chaste then He must also be “modest”. But the reason this is not correct is because we are “creations” of Jehovah and so we strive to be modest or display modesty in the sense of chasteness according to a “standard”, Jehovah’s standard. But Jehovah is not subject to anyone’s standard as to what should be decent or chaste or modest. So I believe that this is why we have not seen any explanation by the FDS that states something like, “While Jehovah is not modest in the sense of having limitations, Jehovah can be considered modest in the sense of chasteness, decency, etc.“ No, this would seem to be an incorrect way of viewing Jehovah because He is subject to no one’s standards of what should be decent or modest. So as the article stated, “… the concept of modesty simply does not apply to Jehovah.”

Lance shared with us that article that shows how some want to believe that President Trump is the, “New Constantine” Similarly, certain religious leaders or groups have influenced their followers to have more faith in President Trump by comparing him to the great leader in the Bible who although pagan and not a worshiper of the True God, became a vessel or “anointed one” of God, the Persian King — Cyrus the Great. A question some followers ask in order to defend their spiritual belief in President Trump is, “If God in the past anointed a world leader that was pagan to ensure that His will be done, then why couldn’t God also use or anoint a modern day leader like President Trump to ensure HIs will is done today?” Has anyone heard this kind of argument or heard Trump being compared to Cyrus?

Good topic Richard 👍 It seems you were wanting to use this “5 Why” technique to discuss the difference between possibility vs probability when seeking answers, and that is a really good topic! But I wanted to add that this technique can also help address spiritual problems overall. So I will try to add to your topic the best I can. I will share my longer post with more in-depth thoughts in the hidden box below if anyone would like to read it, but to just briefly summarize: To me, the idea behind the “5 Why” technique or just any method that causes use to dig deeper is to move beyond “surface problems” to try and uncover the underlying “root cause”. So whether a person chooses to use this technique or another, as Christians we should not be wanting “fast food” answers, “fast food” guesses or speculations, nor “fast food” surface answers that do not touch the heart of the problem or are not based on Jehovah’s superior ways. For me personally, asking “Why” questions one after another has motivated me to go beyond surface answers or just speculate, and to dive deeper in nature and in the Bible to find answers in the deeper wisdom of Jehovah If each of us does our best to not just use our imagination to guess or speculate about ”possibilities”, and if each of us does our best to dive deeper into spiritual questions or spiritual problems by researching in our publications,, then this can help “peel away” layers of surface symptoms or surface-level explanations to discover and reveal Jehovah’s wise thinking on matters! Then JWtalk will be an even greater resource because there will be less guesses, less speculations, and deeper answers and understandings that will help all of us grow stronger spiritually! 🌟 (More in-depth post)

JEHOVAH MAJESTIC, RADIANT, MAGNIFICENT

Here is hopefully a very encouraging and motivating thought to really consider during this memorial season. In the JWBroadcasting 2025 update #1 there was an example shown of an update to the “Study Pane” in the JW app. It explained how our personal notes will come first in this study pane. But I stopped the video in order to see if I could read the personal study note someone had written in the example that was being shown, and it turned out to be a little gem💎. This personal note turned out to be a quote from a WT article based on LK 2 which tells us that Baby Jesus had a “manger” for a bed. What was this manger? Was it a very soft and beautiful crib made for a prince? Here is a picture from the Study Notes in LK 2 of what this manager may have looked like? Wow, so what was the 1st bed that the Messiah, the precious Son of God slept in as a newborn baby, a “feeding place” for animals, made of rocks or stone! How many parents who are unbelievers in the world today would have been content in providing a crib of hard stone for their precious newborn? So with all this in mind, now here is the quote of the personal study note from that video: I thought this was an excellent point! While Jehovah had to protect His son, the Messiah, from certain dangers/attacks by Satan and the demons, Jehovah did not shield His Son from many challenges, including poverty. Jehovah, the best Father imaginable, did not provide great accommodations for his son who was to be royalty, a future King! Why? What can we learn from Baby Jesus’ bed of stone, a “manger”? At times a brother or sister may feel that Jehovah should be providing more for them. For example… A brother’s car is older and has problems, and when he sees others in the congregation who have better cars he wonders, “Why doesn’t Jehovah provide better for me as I am one of His loyal servants, I need a better car” Or a sister is tired of her job, and in recent months she has heard of several sisters getting good jobs, so she complains to herself asking, “I do my best to attend all the meetings, go in the ministry regularly, so why doesn’t Jehovah help me get a better job?” Jehovah tells us in the Bible that “…having food* and clothing*, we will be content with these things” (footnotes: sustenance, covering, shelter) But there are multiple degrees or definitions of what being “content” means, let’s look at 3 degrees and ask ourselves, “Which definition or degree is Jehovah wanting to see in us when He is asking us to be “content” for now with basic necessities?” “content” = accept as adequate despite wanting more or better ”content” = willing to accept a particular thing “content” = a state of happiness, peaceful It would seem that Jehovah is hoping we are #3, being in a state of peace and happiness with “the daily bread” we have received. To a non-believer, this kind of thinking might be considered unacceptable as the culture of today has a mindset of always reaching for more and not being satisfied. In fact, many famous athletes, entertainers, CEOs, claim in their books or in interviews that the mindset of never being satisfied, never being “content”, is what helped them to achieve their dreams and goals. But is not definition #3 of “content” the mindset of a truly appreciative person? Yes, our Father wants us to be at peace, happy with what He has provided. So a spiritual person is “content”, being very grateful and appreciative for what our Father in the Heavens has provided for us, and not just “accepting as adequate despite wanting more or better“. So I need to ask myself sometimes, “Am I content, at peace and happy with the “manger” or “daily bread” that Jehovah had provided for me? And 1 final thought based on that personal study note from the video: Have not many wealthy or powerful people throughout history, including Kings, provided the very best for their child? So then why didn’t the greatest King, Jehovah provide much more for His beloved son? Far greater in importance than a comfortable lifestyle is being surrounded with love and peace and with those who love Jehovah. That describes the human parents Jehovah chose for His son right? Jehovah knew that not many years after his son was only a newborn, that even as just a child, Jesus would begin to be involved in the greatest legal court case in history! So Jehovah giving His precious son better accommodations, providing a more comfortable lifestyle was not even close to what the FDS says is of more, “supreme importance”, spiritual matters! Baby Jesus was going to become the primary Witness in this grand court case, that was of “supreme importance”. And so here is the wisdom we can gain from how and why the greatest Father Jehovah provided for his beloved newborn son a life surrounded with 95% love, peace and spirituality but with only 5% basic material needs. (Several articles are combined that I put in quotes)

Hi Tim, I sent you a PM of comfort, please let know if you received it, thanks 😊

There is another aspect of gas prices going up that I never thought of before, until recernly. I had only heard of a few reports over the years in which gasoline was being stolen from vehicles in various parts of the US. But then this became more of a reality to me as I have now had the gas stolen from my vehicle 5 times in the past year! 😞 I have an older truck, so I guess I was naive in thinking that an older truck would not be a target of theft. But apparently older trucks are an excellent target by thieves because Older vehicles usually have no alarms Older vehicles usually have no lock on the fuel door But even if you have lock on the fuel door or add a “locking gas cap”, trucks are high enough off the ground for a thief to slide underneath and make a hole in the gas tank Last year I had to clean up the street area where my truck normally is parked because gas had been pouring out underneath my truck! I had never dealt with a gasoline spill, so I was really nervous and worried. This caused me so much trouble and then when I took it to the mechanic for a replacement gas tank, which was quite the cost along with expensive labor, the mechanic never mentioned anything to me that this could have been the result of someone trying to siphon gas directly from my gas tank! Instead I thought and told the mechanics that since the truck was older, the gas tank must have been rusty maybe and then possibly it easily cracked open when I had accidentally driven over something? But maybe mechanics are getting more business with cracked gas tanks and so some may not bother showing the customers that their gas tank had a hole in it caused by thieves? So when I left the mechanic shop with the replacement gas tank, at least I felt comforted that no longer would I leak gasoline because I had a new gas tank. But just last month, guess what happened? My neighbors told me that there was a strong gasoline smell from under my truck that they could smell from their house! That’s when I realized that my previous broken gas tank must have been a result of thieves, because since that first gas tank replacement last year, I also have had the gas siphoned out from the fuel door 3 times! The last time was just a few weeks ago. 😞 So now I feel that I have no choice but to try and sell my truck as I can no longer afford to keep repairing or replacing the gas tank or even afford to keep losing all the gas in my truck each month, as my older truck has become a special target of thieves 🎯 I thought I would post about this personal situation so that all of you will at least be aware of this latest criminal trend. I hope this does not happen to any of you. If you do not have a truck or SUV, then hopefully thieves will not try and crack a hole in your gas tank as cars are lower to the ground and there is little room for a thief to slide under. But cars are still having the gas siphoned from the gas door also, so please be aware and maybe adding a “locking gas cap” will be a good preventative measure. Sadly if gas prices rise, there will be more stealing of gas. Here is a link to an article in Arizona where this trend has started very recently and is being noticed by the police and local mechanics. https://tucson.com/news/national/thieves-costly-new-tactic-puncture-vehicles-gas-tank/article_98bf67c9-0015-57e2-b4bd-97cfab86491b.html

Hi Jeremy, When Jesus told his disciples how they should pray, the request for God’s Kingdom to “come” is not about timing or a date, but about expressing to God your personal desire and how you are in agreement that this heavenly government which you believe is Jehovah’s means of expressing His rightful sovereignty over the earth and is His instrument to sanctify His name! Our prayer for the Kingdom to “come” is directly connected to what Jesus told us to pray for also, “let your name be sanctified”. Also when we pray for His Kingdom to “come”, we are not focusing on the timing of when the Kingdom will come, but we are supplicating for divine intervention! This shows Jehovah that we are in heart harmony with His Sovereignty and that we believe that His Kingdom is the only solution for all the problems on Earth. Also when we pray for His Kingdom to come, we are acknowledging that we are sinners and that we are exercising faith in the Ransom! How is this so? Because the Ransom is linked to the Kingdom because it is by means of the Ransom that 144,000 humans are saved and will make up this Heavenly Kingdom with Jesus, and they will help administer the benefits of the ransom. Similar to how a picture is worth a 1000 words, when we pray for His Kingdom to “come”, this 1 simple word has great worth to Jehovah as it expreses our full support that Jehovah’s will takes place, “…as in heaven, also on earth.” 👑

1 of the explanations for the new update on JW Library stated, With this update, now in any article, whether a WT study article or any Awake article or a paragraph from a book, if you highlight a word/phrase on let’s say Paragraph #3, and THEN you also CREATE A NOTE from the word/phase you highlighted, now this note will be ADDED to the new “STUDY PANE” on the right with the same color with the #3 on top of the note! Here is an example below I made of just 3 notes for this week’s WT study lesson. (I just added a bunch of letters to each note to create quick notes so I could show this example) So now we all can create notes on any article or book, just like before, BUT NOW thanks to this update our notes will all be saved together in a visible study pane, exactly like in the Bible where we have been adding notes and these are saved together in the study pane on the right along with the “Study Notes” that are provided by the FDS. Especially for our books will this be helpful, as we can go back years later and quickly examine all the notes on the “Study Pane” if we are looking for a thought we wrote down from years ago. But before this update, we would have had to go back and open each colored “square” like this 🟨 that contained a note inside we had created and this would take a long time to go through each square/note one at a time. So this new study panel will help a lot when we go back and review articles/books in the future! 👍

When our Grand Creator designs and creates something, in his great wisdom He always has more than 1 reason behind why He chose to design it. So for example, some people may not understand why there is salt in the oceans? In fact some might say, “Hey if there were no salt in the oceans look how much drinking water there would be?” But who is wiser, us imperfect, slow thinking humans or Jehovah? There is not even a close comparison, so notice here just a few of the reasons why Jehovah wisely designed the oceans to have a high “salinity”. “Ocean Circulation” I will try to add to Brother Carl’s post as he already touched on this very positive benefit. So how do the all the oceans have such a balanced distribution of nutrients, heat and oxygen? Our first thought might be, “Ocean currents” and that is pretty much correct, but how are ocean currents created? I think of ocean currents like "ocean conveyor belts" and these currents or “belts” are driven by differences in water density caused by changes in temperature and salinity. For example, saltier water is denser than fresher water, so the cooling of warm surface waters and the formation of sea ice increases the salinity and density of the surrounding water, causing it to sink. And therefore, this sinking of salty water drives deep ocean currents that move across the globe, while being replaced by warm surface currents, creating a continuous circulation pattern. So the oceans are like a huge factory that have inside them many “conveyor belts” that run in a pattern and distribute everything where it needs to go. Without salt, there are no ocean conveyor belts! And this would result in a very UNbalanced distribution of nutrients, heat and oxygen hurting all life in the ocean! “Osmotic Balance” Salt plays a big role in maintaining the osmotic balance and regulating the water content inside marine life, enabling them to survive and even thrive in the ocean! Having the proper water and salt balance within the bodies of marine life is essential for their survival! So a high salt concentration in seawater prevents excessive water loss from their cells and tissues. So thanks to Jehovah designing oceans with such high amounts of salt, it is like the high salt levels in the ocean serve as a “shield” on the outside for the cells and tissues of every sea animal and organism! “Buoyancy” Sister Ying Ching also mentioned this in her post and she is right, the oceans are so deep that it would be difficult for many of the marine life to get to the surface if not for “buoyancy”(the ability of something to float in a fluid, like water). So guess why so much of life and organisms in the ocean can reach the surface? Because high amounts of salts in seawater increase its density, providing buoyancy that supports the floating and movement of marine life. So here is a wonderful benefit of ocean’s salt and buoyancy: Every single life in the ocean that needs to move to survive and needs to reach the surface does not have to spend much as much energy! If you have swam in the ocean before, you know how tiring it can be just to swim for a little while, so imagine if Jehovah did not give marine life this major “boost” in the ocean to help them? “Helping Outside of the Ocean” Here is more evidence of great wisdom by our Father, the ocean's salt plays an important role in the regulation of the Earth's climate by influencing the absorption and release of heat! Plus, the ocean’s salt assists in the formation of clouds and precipitation patterns! So what wisdom! The salt inside the oceans provide help outside of the ocean, ingenious! ⭐️ HUMANS Since humans live outside of the ocean, why would Jehovah design the oceans to help us? Well because Jehovah knows our hearts, He knows that we would be inticed and drawn to the ocean for many reasons. So Jehovah made the oceans, to not only benefit marine life, but to benefit us too! Here are a few benefits: Trace Minerals: Adding to Sister Ying Chang’s good post, because of salt, seawater contains various trace minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron, which are essential for marine life and can be beneficial for human health! But wouldn’t we have to drink the saltwater to benefit from all these healthy minerals and elements? No, minerals/elements are “bioavailable”, meaning they can be absorbed thru the skin and utilized by any organism in the ocean, including us humans when we are playing the ocean water! The various biochemical processes and functions inside all marine life, organisms and us NEED these trace minerals, and salt helps to provide these. Such wisdom and love behind the craftsmanship of the oceans wouldn’t you agree? Therapy Sessions: Every time you have ever swam or played in the ocean waters, you have went to 1 of “Jehovah’s Therapy Sessions”! Meaning that the oceans offer “Therapeutic Benefits” and SALT plays a vital role. Salt water has been used for therapeutic purposes, such as alleviating respiratory issues, improving skin conditions, and promoting relaxation and even stress relief! So what do you think happens when you are surrounded by salt water when playing/swimming in the ocean? You are getting a full therapy session thanks our Grand Creator who knew we would be drawn to the oceans! “Grounded”: Have you ever been “grounded”? No, not when your parents disciplined you and grounded you to your room. But there is a “grounding” when it comes to the ocean/beach. Ocean water is highly conductive due to the dissolved salts and minerals it contains, so when we are walking barefoot on wet sand or in shallow ocean water, this allows our body to absorb negative electrons from the Earth, a process known as grounding. Meaning that when positive electrons in the form of free radicals have been building up in our bodies, but then when we come into direct contact with the sand and salt water at the beach, which have negative charges, our bodies are “balanced out”! This is why you and me feel more energized and relaxed anytime we go visit the beach. Just another reason why so many of us just love the beach and ocean and could stay there for days or weeks! There are even more benefits to the salt in the oceans, but then my post would be longer than the book of Genesis. 😃 So I hope this post has given Jehovah further honor and glory that He so rightly deserves for His masterpiece of the ocean. The bad part about making this post however is that I feel sad that I cannot just go to the ocean right now! I need to check for some cheap flights ✈️