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Just when I thought I had it all figured out...a very kind, very loving sister reminded me that I was wrong. Four scriptures...four scriptural thoughts...and I was left in utter awe...staring at the pages of my Bible as if I'd never seen them before. And here I sit now, my Bible open...my notes on those four simple well known verses staring up at me from the torn piece of an old cheese order form where I'd hurriedly jotted them down last week. Even now, as I sit staring at my computer screen at 4:35 am...my steaming mug of coffee close at hand...I cannot help but replay those very embarrassing moments in my head over and over again. You see...I was in the middle of telling her and her husband about some recent challenges I've been facing when I saw her face scrunch up in sudden distaste. Immediately I stopped talking...fearing that something I had said had offended her in some way...and indeed...it had. Her husband, sensing the awkward moment...rushed in to save me...picking up the conversation and thanking me for sharing my experience with them. He was in the midst of saying that they should get going, having a scheduled doctor's appointment that same afternoon...when his wife suddenly stepped forward and, out of nowhere...gave me the biggest hardest hug I think I've ever experienced from a sister. Stepping back, she wiped away hot tears that had suddenly sprung into her eyes and REALLY looked at me...suddenly no longer offended, not even upset...but deeply concerned. And then she said something so simple, so quiet, that it stopped me cold...and THAT'S why I'm writing this post. “You know Tim, I love your experiences...I really do. But sometimes we forget who’s really doing the holding.” I nodded. I smiled. I thanked her. But inside, I felt exposed...not because I’d said something wrong, but because I’d said something incomplete. I had been telling a story about Jehovah...without fully letting Jehovah speak for himself. And my offense? Taking credit for something Jehovah had allowed me to do...I said that we just had to keep going...keep pushing along even if we felt like giving up...because WE needed to stay strong. "Can...can I tell you something? It's something I learned from my own personal studies, and from our family worship nights." She said, taking her husbands hand and gripping it tightly as he too suddenly looked like he might cry. Now a bit stunned, I nodded and assured her that I would love to hear her thoughts...but I never expected what came out of her mouth next: “I’m being held. I can’t be pulled away. I’m not alone in the pain. And the One carrying me won’t get tired of holding me...ever." I'm not joking, after those words left her mouth...they both started crying...right there in the hall. You see, friends...I had no idea that this dear couple had lost both of their children years ago in a tragic car accident...and I had no idea that one of them was a cancer survivor. I had no idea that they had endured so much...or that they talked about it so little, except to each other. And please believe me when I say that when those words left her lips...I could see her husband mouthing them with her...like a mantra. They explained that after the death of their two sons, two elders had came over for a shepherding call...and one of the brothers had given them four verses and suggested that they research them together...as a couple. She went on, “We were encouraged to use the online library to look for articles surrounding them...and even to look up the words behind them. The Hebrew. The Greek. Not to "learn more"...but to really understand how Jehovah was already caring for us.” Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a small, worn notebook. The corners were bent. The pages soft. Clearly it had seen a lot of use. “These are the verses,” she said, turning to a page with four verses written in faded red ink. “And these are the words that really helped us through a lot of tough times.” And then she shared them. Not as spiritual points. Not as explanations. Just as the most personal of gifts that they had to share. Here are the verses...and here are the four words and their personal thoughts on each: Isaiah 41:10 "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be anxious, for I am your God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you, I will really hold on to you with my right hand of righteousness." (Tamak.) To support, sustain or uphold. We had read Isaiah 41:10 countless times. But we had never noticed the word behind “hold on to you" until the brother had shared the idea of it on this shepherding call. Suddenly, we realized...we weren’t just clinging to Jehovah. He has been holding us up the whole time. John 10:28 "I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (Harpazō) Jesus said no one could snatch us out of Jehovah’s hand. The word he used meant to tear away violently. And when we thought of all the moments we'd felt like we were slipping…we realized none of them had the force or the ability to pull us away from Jehovah. Isaiah 63:9 "During all their distress it was distressing to him. And his own personal messenger saved them. In his love and compassion he repurchased them, And he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old." (Tsar) When Isaiah said Jehovah felt their distress, the word meant tight, pressed in, overwhelmed...it meant empathy...not just sympathy. We had always prayed to Jehovah in those moments...never REALLY realizing he was already there, feeling it with us. Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves." (Praus) Jesus described himself as mild tempered...meek...or even gentle in that single word. It represents strength under complete control...power that never resents the weight it carries. All the times we've asked Jehovah: Am I too much? Have I leaned on him too long? Will Jehovah get tired of carrying me? The simple answer is: Of course not! Because the One who carries us WANTS to...he is love, and love never grows weary of holding what it cherishes. And so here I sit...coffee gone cold, Bible still open, those four verses staring back at me like old friends I’m only now beginning to understand. Foolish pathetic little Tim...here I thought I had been telling a story about endurance...a story that would encourage them. Turns out, they encouraged me...because now here I sit...whispering those same words: “I’m being held. I can’t be pulled away. I’m not alone in the pain. And the One carrying me won’t get tired of holding me...ever."

Hmmm. I’m 82, and I want so to see Jehovah’s name set on high. Exactly where it belongs. I want to experience this monumental event. Above ground. I know this isn’t written in law, but the speaker today said. You know how you feel before a lightening storm. The hair on your arms may stand up. That is how close we are to the end. It brought me comfort. My health is good, but, at this age, you never know…

Yes.. you got Helen .. @Dustparticle.. Those pushing of KoTn and Kots are fulfilling the prophecy ... Im unemployed now for almost 2 months and my friend was fired 3 days ago... And lots of my friends are suffering, I want the new system for everyone..

I started studying our new publication Walk Courageously with God yesterday with two sisters. We spent 3.5 hrs talking to get to learn about each others past, as two of my sisters had never met. One from the cart I met and one from my congregation. The first chapter was on Enoch. Upon starting to discuss the chapter we realized we have already been walking Courageously and started to see ways we could improve. For the first time in 30;yrs I studied not to learn facts but simply through the eyes of bonding with my spiritual family. I am starting a dinner party this Saturday afternoon....oops I'm late for appt but will write more later.

No. They died. To suggest they did not die but were transferred to heaven makes it sound like or gives the impression that the teaching of the rapture is correct. All people who are resurrected to heavenly life must first die and complete their earthly course of life. The fact their resurrection is instantaneous the moment of death is irrelevant. They still die first.

*DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS* _Greetings to you all, my dear brothers and sisters. Hopefully we are all doing well under Jehovah’s loving care._ *Truly* , _the times we are living in are not easy. The pressures of these “critical times hard to deal with” can weigh heavily on many. 2 Tim. 3:1_ _But how comforting it is to know that we are not alone. We belong to a loving spiritual family._ _The Bible reminds us at Hebrews 10:24, 25 that we should “consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works… encouraging one another.” Now more than ever, our brothers and sisters need to feel that love and support._ _Sometimes, a simple message — “How are you doing?” — can mean so much. A short phone call, a visit, or even sitting beside someone quietly at the Kingdom Hall can strengthen a heart that is tired. As 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says: “Keep encouraging one another and building one another up.”_ _Let us remember that some may be fighting silent battles — health challenges, financial pressure, family problems, or emotional stress. We may not see their struggles, but Jehovah sees them. And he can use us to be a source of comfort._ *Isaiah 41:10* _assures us: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you… I will really help you._ _When we remind our brothers and sisters of Jehovah’s promises, we strengthen their faith and our own as well._ _Dear brothers and sisters, let us:_ *Check on one another regularly* *Speak kindly and listen patiently* *Pray for one another* *Be quick to forgive and slow to judge* _A congregation filled with encouragement is a strong congregation. Even a small act of kindness can Make a big difference._ _May Jehovah continue to bless our efforts to love one another deeply from the heart. Let us keep holding on — the best days are ahead of us._ *With warm Christian love* .♥️

It is indeed a nightmare living in this system. Nevertheless, I did what I can to serve Jehovah with the best of my ability despite of hardship. First, my family didnt support me and my father pushed me to prioritize materialism.. I did not pursue higher education or bachelor's degree. Still, I volunteered for construction, I always attend pioneers' meeting with CO. This system really is exhausting. I cried many times but i learned to be happy to share the good news to others informally and formally because it is life's saving.

I had a wonderful surprise this week. While some of our publishers were going over some very old photographs of our village (around WW1), they found a picture of a group of sisters advertising the PhotoDrama in our little village. We didn't get a congregation until 1970. So no one can identify these diligent sisters (and one little boy) in the photo. Photo is shown below. It is possible that the 100 year old photo is mislabeled. They could be standing in front of the sign advertising the Drama but really are part of a 4th of July demonstration or something similar. Our history is more detailed than we ever knew. Did anyone else have the Photo Drama come to be shown in their congregation territory?

2026 GB Update #1 transcript

We are in contact with a brother and his 12 year old daughter. This was from sunday morning: --------------------------------- We had changed our plans to leave Jalisco and spend our last two months in Cozumel. We would have been in a very awkward situation as we had to move residences anyway by the end of the month. We would have been in a pickle but Jehovah would have taken care of us. My daughter begged me to take her back to Cozumel and for some reason I said “ok let’s go” and originally planned to leave next week but for some reason I chose to leave a week earlier than planned. We missed it all by one day. Everything was calm when we left but Jalisco State is a mess. Roadblocks by the cartel throughout the state. The US State Dept named these hot zones: “The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City has instructed citizens in Jalisco State (including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero and Nuevo León to shelter in place until further notice.” Chapala is where we were and it was totally calm when we left. 6 states are affected but it has affected a number of neighbouring states as well. This is much bigger than the war in Sinaloa in recent times as Guadalajara is the 2nd biggest city in Mexico with about 10 million people in the greater area. That’s just one city so you can imagine how many of our brothers are being affected. It goes to show you how quickly things can change. Just last Thursday I started a Bible study in Guadalajara with a Mexican American guy named Isaac and we were walking free and safely in Guadalajara. Then just a few days later the entire city is on lockdown. Things in this system can change in an instant of time and we should never be complacent. ------------------------------------------- end of note.

The brother portraying Jesus is still there, as is his 'mother' and his 'brothers'. There are (were) 4 Jesus-es to portray different ages. But that is behind us now. One couple I know moved to Sydney for 7 years. I see him on the episodes now. So I have no doubt they wish to keep them there for the length of this project. (He is one of the 12.) And I can confirm all the 'same' main characters are still there in episode 10... And keeping the same looking characters draws us to them. I am connecting events and the various apostles personalities together with their actions with their words. I'm loving Peter more and more...

Jehovah's organization sets the example for good manners and appreciation. When we donate online, we receive a letter of appreciation in return. This month, the letter has some exciting news to share. The LDC brothers have undertaken a test of installing solar power systems and power storage in remote areas. In Papua New Guinea, a circuit overseer said at one rural Kingdom Hall, the new power system allows meetings to run smoothly without the noise and expense of generators. As a result, the friends now enjoy stable lighting and Kingdom songs and video presentations without disruptions. Imagine the impact this will have in the community!!! If someone should ask us at their door which religion we are, we can answer "We're the one keeping the lights on for you". But, really, just think about those areas where electricity is scarce or none at all. The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses is powered up!!!! I just wonder if this power system and storage is off-the-shelf equipment, or have the brothers modified ?

Hello Brothers and Sisters, I'm not sure if everyone know this or not. Now when click on a video at JW.org and then click on the Download button you can get the transcript by selecting either Copy, TXT or PDF. No need to go to any other unofficial websites to get this information. THANK YOU to Jehovah and the Governing Body for making this text now available to us so easily at our Official Website at JW.org! Roger

Yes she is. I'll tell the forum when she'll have finished her Earthly journey.

Yes. To put things simply : Depression is past oriented. Anxiety is future oriented. Good thing Jehovah is present with us

"Never for a moment have I doubted Jehovah's love...I just kept searching for EVIDENCE that the pain would go away." Those are deep strong words coming from a servant of Jehovah...especially when you consider the fact that we HAVE Jehovah...and the world has nothing to cling onto...except lies and meaningless drivel designed to occupy their brain until they die. Who said those words? I did. Why did I say them? Because I misunderstood a facet of a scripture we've read a thousand times over my lifetime: 2 Corinthians 1:3,4: "Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our trials so that we may be able to comfort others in any sort of trial with the comfort that we receive from God." I didn’t realize how much I was waiting for something to change...before I let myself feel comforted. And that made me stop and ask myself something uncomfortable: When did relief become the way I measured Jehovah’s nearness? As I read Paul’s words...“the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation”...I noticed how quickly my mind jumped ahead. Ahead to the outcome. Ahead to the moment when the pressure would finally just lift...and just GO AWAY!! But Paul didn’t say Jehovah comforts us after the tribulation. He said Jehovah comforts us in it. So I had to ask myself: Have I been reading this verse as a promise of results…instead of what it mainly is...a promise of his presence? Have I been waiting for proof that the pain would end, instead of noticing that I was still standing? If Jehovah were truly absent, would I even be enduring at all? The Greek word Paul uses for “comfort” is paráklēsis...a word Jehovah's people know very well...a word that that means to be called alongside. Not to fix from a distance. Not to remove the weight immediately. But to come close enough to share the space. That realization shifted a lot of smaller little things for me personally. Because suddenly the question wasn’t, “Why hasn’t Jehovah taken this away yet?” It became, “What if Jehovah has been here the entire time...and I was just focused on results too much to even notice him?” Paul says Jehovah gives us the courage and strength to bear up. And that made me wonder: What if mere day to day survival isn't just somehow staggering along...but actual evidence of his presence by itself? In other words: What if endurance itself is the comfort I’ve been overlooking? What if Jehovah’s way of proving his care for me isn’t by changing the situation...but by refusing to leave me alone inside it? The September 2008 Watchtower states that Jehovah does not necessarily make our problems or pain disappear...but he DOES fortifiy us to cope with them. And for the first time, that didn’t sound like a lesser comfort. It sounded like a deeper one. https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20080901/The-God-of-All-Comfort/ Because if Jehovah were TRULY distant, endurance would feel empty. If he had TRULY stepped away, courage wouldn’t keep showing up. If he weren’t in the room, the weight would be unbearable...if his holy spirit wasn't continuing to give me the power beyond what is normal...Tim simply couldn't survive...SPIRITUALLY! So maybe the real question isn’t why the pain is still here...and why hasn't it gone away? Maybe it’s this: When did I start believing that comfort had to look like proof...instead of presence?

What you said is true. And everyone can say the same thing simply by changing the number to 50, 60 , 70 , years ago. Here's another perspective ~ If Adam and Eve had not sinned, you and the rest of us would not have been born. We are alive as a result of every little thing that happened since they had their first children. If they had not sinned, the human race would have gone in an entirely different direction. It seems weird, but we live because they sinned and Jehovah deemed their yet-to-be-conceived children as deserving of life. In Br Winder's talk "Manifest Godly Patience", he makes the point that God's patience is purpose oriented, he wants to give people a chance to change. But, his patience is not due to babies being born every day, and wanting to give them a chance to grow up and have the opportunity to know him, to make a choice. If that was the case, the end would never come. Jehovah's attributes are perfectly balanced, and the time will come when patience can no longer be warranted. At that time, justice and righteousness demand action. We understand that the 'good news' will be preached right down to the end. So, Jehovah exercises patience, holding out the opportunity to know him, until it can't be warranted, and he knows when that time is. It's on the divine calendar.

I don’t think it'll be another 30+ years, for a few reasons. First is our current understanding of Matthew 24:34. The contemporaries of the 1st group that some of will live to see the great tribulation are really up in years, and they will not live another 30 years. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/202018090 https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/pc/r1/lp-e/1200272352/12/4 My second reason for not believing that the end will come in 30+ years is based on Matthew 24:37-39. Looking at the way the world has disintegrated in the past 30 years, especially in the last 6 years or so tells me the end has to come soon. If conditions get any more extreme, everyone would forced to recognize that the only logical reason is because of prophecy being fulfilled. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015604?q=Conditions&p=par#:~:text=5.%20Why,this%20wicked%20system. The current state of the world is so fragile and is in eminent danger of collapsing in nearly every aspect, yet we know this will not happen until the Great Tribulation. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2019603#:~:text=Read%C2%A0Luke,without%20certain%20necessities. These and other reasons convince me that this system cannot continue for another 30+ years. However, as we do not know Jehovah’s exact time, I try to live as it will be tomorrow yet plan as it will be another 30 years.

Very interesting update on the way to do the Bible studies

I recently had a privilege of hearing a very moving prayer by brother in our congregation. I cannot remember the exact words, but it made me emotional. Something to the effect that there will finally be a last day to this wicked system and we will reflect back that the nightmare is finally over and thank our God. We will be so delighted to see Jehovah’s sovereignty vindicated once for all time.

A little encouragement for those who feel sadness like me! It is moving to think that everything we do in this system is reaching its appointed end: the last meeting, the last celebration — once and for all —, the last assembly, the last convention, the last field service, the last Broadcasting, the last magazines. Then the new system promised by Jehovah will come… the first meeting, the first assembly, the first convention, the first field service, the first Broadcasting, the first magazines, under a righteous and everlasting government. May that day come quickly. We are tired of this wicked system. Our hearts wait in faith for the fulfillment of Jehovah’s promises: life in the perfect Paradise here on Earth. “Let your Kingdom come.” Come quickly, Sovereign Lord Jehovah. Come, Jesus!

A few weeks ago, a bible student in our congregation reached a milestone. After studying for some time, he was announced at our midweek meeting as an unbaptized publisher. It was one of those moments where all of our hearts were bursting with joy...because you know how much effort it took this precious man to get there. After the meeting, my wife and I went up to congratulate him. We told him how proud we were of him, how encouraging it was to see his progress. He thanked me, and then I asked him something I always ask new ones. “May I ask, was there anything in particular that helped you the most in your study so far?” He thought for a second, smiled, and said something that sounded almost too simple...and yet...after I thought about it on the way home...it was absolutely profound. “Once I realized Jehovah was really listening, I didn’t want to stop talking to him.” That was it. No long explanation. No dramatic story. Just that. And the more I thought about it, the more it stayed with me. Then...the other day...I was speaking to a brother on the phone who is still incarcerated...and as we were recalling our days in there together...he started chuckling and asked me if I remembered Willie. Immediately I started laughing as my mind conjured up a picture of the elderly gentleman he was speaking of...and yet, it wasn't until later that day that I started REALLY thinking of Willie...and suddenly a connection formed in my mind between Willie and our newest publisher. You see, Willie hadn’t taken care of himself for most of his life, and by the time he ended up in prison, the dentist had some hard news for him. Years of neglect meant tooth after tooth had to be pulled. Eventually, there was only one left...a single front tooth that jutted out at an awkward angle from his top gums. It looked crazy when he smiled...because it was large and square, looking like a white piece of Chiclet gum protruding from his gums. When the dentist said it should come out too, Willie shook his head defiantly. “No,” he said. “Not that one.” They offered him a full set of dentures. It would’ve looked better. Everyone knew it. But Willie refused. He agreed to partials that fit around that one tooth, even though it looked a little odd. And from that day on, Willie took care of that tooth like his life depended on it. He carefully flossed it, brushed carefully, avoided hard food, and smiled with his whole mouth open...proud to show it off. (And yes, he even saved up his money and would buy a whitening kit for it once in a while😅) Whenever someone joked about it, (and they did, often) Willie just grinned and said, “I never took care of much of anything in my life...so I figured I'd start trying now.” You see...for Willie, it wasn’t about how it looked. It was about not losing everything. And then it hit me...Drew and Willie were really doing the same thing. They weren’t fixing everything, and they weren’t acting like they had it all figured out. They were just guarding the one thing that still felt real and alive to them. The Bible puts it this way at Proverbs 4:23: “Above all the things that you guard, safeguard your heart.” The Hebrew word for “guard” there means to watch over something fragile...something that won’t survive without care. For Willie, it was one tooth. For Drew, it was prayer. For many of us, it might be something just as small...just as fragile...and yet, it's something we will simply NEVER let go of. And Jehovah sees that. He doesn’t ask for perfection. He just asks us not to let go of what’s alive. And sometimes, that’s enough to begin again.

Not sure if it's been mentioned earlier, but Ep 9 is underway now, or so I was told when I visited Bethel a couple of weeks ago. My first visit there, and was very impressed with the film set - well actually the whole Bethel branch for that matter 😊

That really is the only useful purpose for the Doomsday Clock. We know it does not indicate how close we are to doomsday or Armageddon. Those we talk to in the ministry, however, do not have our faith or am accurate understanding of what doomsday really is. My opinion is that, once the prophecy of "Peace and Security" is fulfilled that the Doomsday Clock will be set back to the farthest from midnight it has ever been set to. To date the farthest from midnight was 17 minutes in 1991. I would not be surprised if the clock is set to 1 hour before midnight right before Armageddon.

Can you image what any of the anointed would say to the medic if they revived them before they ascended?

No one. From Br. Winder's talk "Manifest Godly Patience": "God is patient only as long as it is in harmony with justice, righteousness and wisdom. The fact that patience is exercised when a bad or provocative situation exists shows that it is meant to give opportunity for those involved in the bad situation to change, to straighten up. When matters come to a point where it is seen that there is no hope of such change , justice and righteousness would be violated if patience should continue. Then God acts in wisdom to remove the bad situation. His patience comes to an end."

I'm pretty sure this will be the focus of the Ramapo centre. But with these new big screens, they can actually be out filming the background scenes even now. Then scenes could be produced anywhere there is a 'Big' screen (currently 3 I know of.) I am not expecting this new project to be in any way dependant of the current project. It will have it's own timetable. In the 'old days', we were known for our printing prowess. I am wondering if this will move to AV production. How exciting. For the 'AoA' Series, Mt Nebo could be a good place to start. I'm sure it will be a 'fresh' crew. imho Either way - I'll be happy if I'm still alive to see some of the episodes. Hence, the sooner the better. lol

"I should visit the Australian branch"

This special report on the eighth anniversary of the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia has been prepared by the Office of Public Information for distribution to and discussion with government officials. READ HERE This annex to the report highlights the threat to life and health the persecution has caused for Jehovah’s Witnesses with disabilities or serious illnesses. READ HERE.

Hello brother, looks like you might have had an add-on installed, which is why they appeared. They won’t show up unless you have one. 😅😅😅

It was bitterly cold that morning...the kind of cold that makes you hesitate before opening the door...the kind of cold that could be dangerous if you stayed outside for too long. I was out on my route...putting miles behind me, my mind half engaged with the third episode of The Jack Benny show that was echoing around the interior of my van. I was just about to pull into a gas station when my phone rang...a brother from up north again, thanking me for some cheese I had delivered to his house the previous week. His wife was in the background, reminding him to tell me thank you from several local brothers and sisters as I slid into a parking spot at Kwik Trip and chatted with them for a few minutes. I listened as they related a local experience from last week's field service; a potential study started by his wife and another sister. I needed to use the restroom, but the conversation had me engaged and so I just sat there, appreciating my warm van as I watched people dashing back and forth from their vehicles to the gas station. Wisconsin "cold" has a way of prioritizing people's behavior, thus I started grinning as I watched several people performing a funny little dance as they stood fueling their gas tanks...attempting to keep the Arctic chill at bay. I must have lost the thread of the conversation, however, because the next thing I knew the sister was asking me, "Well Tim?", in a very expectant tone. Apologizing for my ADHD brain, I asked her to repeat what she had said, and quickly found out that they were offering me lunch at their house once I got up around their neck of the woods sometime that afternoon. I hesitated briefly, doing some quick mental gymnastics regarding the timing of my route, then accepted and said I would be looking forward to the food and a good conversation, even if I couldn't stay very long. We said goodbye then, and, after using the bathroom...I continued on my route until I finished my stops near their town. By this time it was about 1:00 in the afternoon, and I was hungry. Parking my van in their driveway, I walked up to the front door and rang their doorbell, whereupon they quickly admitted me and shut the door, blocking out the wickedly freezing air that had rushed into their warm house. No one was in a hurry. Lunch was already on the table, they knew I didn't have much time so everything was already prepared. His wife is a wonderful cook; two plates later of pork roast and vegetables dished out over a mountain of homemade mashed potatoes...I was warm...I was full...and if I'm being honest, I was getting sleepy 🥱. Our conversation was natural and full of warmth...we flitted from one subject to the next like an ice skater gliding over an ice rink. Finally I knew it was time to leave and my eyes strayed around the room...looking for a clock, (as I had left my phone in my van). A large cuckoo clock sat on the mantle above their electric fireplace...and after gauging the time...I happened to notice several greeting cards neatly arranged surrounding the clock...like soldiers on a battlefield. I asked about them casually, remarking that my wife does the exact same thing with our greeting cards. It was in that single moment...that everything changed. Their faces softened. Their voices warmed. Motioning me to follow...they got up from the table, walked over to the cards and started pulling them down. Suddenly this dear older couple came to life before my eyes....their voices filled with sheer joy as they began to recall who had given each one to them...and why each meant so much. The bitter cold outside lay forgotten as memories suddenly started flaring into life around me. Assuming the cards were recent...I asked to see them...and they pressed them into my hands, one after the other. The dates flashing before my eyes stopped me in my tracks 1978...1984...1991...and 1997. Several were more recent...but some were decades old. They had kept them all these years...not tucked away in a box, not forgotten in a drawer...but on the mantle place...in a position of honor. And the words inside those cards? They still encouraged them today... because they told me that they still take them down sometimes and read them together, drawing encouragement and strength from words written years, even decades ago. I left shortly after, waving goodbye and smiling as I walked out the door back into the bitter cold...because they were still there, at the mantle place, talking to each other about their precious greeting cards. That moment...my last glimpse of them as they stood gently fondling those cards...that moment sent my mind and heart straight back to a verse I’ve read many times, but never quite like this: “Like apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time.” — Proverbs 25:11 In Hebrew, the word translated “word” is dāḇār. It doesn’t just mean something spoken. It means a matter, an event...something that does something and KEEPS doing it. And the phrase “spoken at the right time” literally means “on its wheels.” A word that arrives exactly when needed...and keeps traveling with you. The words in those cards cards weren't just written in 1978, 1987, 1991 and 1997...or even now, in 2026. Those words arrived again...day after day, month after month, year after year. Those words spoke again in quiet moments, sad moments...moments when maybe no other words could fill the empty space. The words on those cards warmed hearts long after the ink had dried. Proverbs 25:11 isn’t about eloquence. It’s about timing and permanence. A word given with love at the right moment doesn’t fade. It waits. It moves. It returns. Sometimes, it sits quietly on a mantle place...ready to speak again...whenever it's needed. So friends, I know the world is getting colder...I know things are getting more and more hectic...but please, please remember that a greeting card may seem small and sometimes unimportant...but it is not something that gets read once and then tossed away, as if it meant little. Not among Jehovah's people it doesn't. As crazy as it might sound, a simple greeting card with just a few words of encouragement has the power to stir hearts years, even decades after it was written. I know, I've seen and experienced it first hand, both as the giver and the receiver. A gift doesn't have to expensive to make it beautiful...and words don't have to be perfect to be "spoken at the right time".

I feel the same way. As a 39 year old brother who was raised in the truth, I don’t know what it’s like to expect to die. I’ve always imagined I would either be granted entry into the New World if I prove myself faithful, or I would die at Armageddon for proving unfaithful. Of course, I could die from an accident or health-related issues; after all, I’ve had several near-death experiences and former health-related problems that could have easily ended my life. But for the most part, I see the great tribulation and Armageddon happening during my lifetime, possibly before I turn 50. I call this time period “The historical sweetspot.” But that's not to say that my generation and those after are better than those who fell asleep in death or will fall asleep. Those who are resurrected will get to cherish a privilege that will no doubt draw them very close to Jehovah: Having been personally recreated by him. It will be special for those resurrected by him through Jesus Christ to know that they had every detail about them committed to memory and were created like Adam was 😊

I’ve noticed that we often feel a strong urge for the end to come, and it is driven by deeply personal convictions. In many (if not all) cases, this longing is sincere. We are tired, we are hurting, and we want relief. I really do. But could it be that we sometimes miss a vital part of the picture? The vindication of Jehovah’s name. When our focus shifts too heavily toward wanting the end to arrive simply so our problems will disappear, we risk losing sight of one of the foremost reasons the end matters at all. The issue is not only our relief, but Jehovah’s sovereignty and name. While the end has not yet come, we are still living in a truly remarkable spiritual environment: one that offers access to understanding, guidance, and unity that no generation before us has experienced in this way. Jehovah, on the other hand, continues to have his name misrepresented by the greater populace. If the end had come twenty-seven years ago, I would not have been born. I would not have had this opportunity to know him, to reason, to choose, or to grow. That realization leaves me with no room for telling Jehovah what to do; only gratitude. Many times, it brings me right to the core of my emotions, because I recognize that Jehovah patiently waited for me. It doesn’t change my belief that the end is close (even way closer), and I know many feel the same. However, I find it valuable to engage in what I call scenario analysis, deliberately considering the less comfortable and ugly possibility: what if it does not come as soon as we expect? What if it takes another seven years… or fifteen… or even twenty? What would life (our lives) look like then? Is there something — even something small — that I could adjust now? Could I set a meaningful spiritual purpose for that span of time? Could I learn a skill that could be useful in the new world, especially in the early years? Planning for the new world is one way we get ourselves busy. I am working on cloud technology currently. I intend to apply it in the early years of the new world. I am so widely optimistic about it, lol. But someone needs to keep JW.org active in those early years before it is discontinued if it ever is. And if I can start now, maybe I can be useful for that purpose then and even now in the branch. I am just offering another perspective that could help us endure this system if it persists. Instead of anchoring ourselves to a single outcome, we prepare for scenarios and faithfulness over time. It helps us remain steady, productive, and spiritually focused even if our expectations are delayed.

Feels more like within the next 30 weeks, for me. A major debt crisis is spreading to the whole world and the UN debt crisis is a symptom of it. Perhaps its only hope of survival is a certain thought.

We are all tired in this system. You dont know how much I cried in this system. Thats enormous tears.

I'm crying here ... let it come let it come ! Host : Jesus Christ

This was in Washington State. There were eight attacks, but he was charged with the four that there was evidence for. He changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison in 2024. The prosecutor was asking for 13 years, and his lawyer was asking for seven. The judge said good things about Jehovah's Witnesses. I've heard that when in federal prison they have to serve at least 85% of their sentence. Western District of Washington | Olympia, Washington man who attacked religious buildings with gunshots and fires sentenced to 11 years in prison | United States Department of Justice

I wish we had a Restoration Clock that showed how close we are the New System. I think we are symbolically 85 seconds to sunrise...

A new website has been launched: https://pteg.ca/, apparently by Jehovah's Witnesses. The site originates in Canada. The Purple Triangles Education Group (PTEG) is a collective of educators, authors, researchers, historians, and speakers committed to preserving and sharing the history of Jehovah's Witnesses who suffered under the Nazi regime. The website contains many interesting documents to download, including the PowerPoint presentation: https://pteg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/PPT-Stand-Firm-and-Speak-Out-With-Video-Links.pdf. I also noticed a new biographical book on the site, published in May 2025, titled: Lucy's Story: My Four Years as a Hidden Child in Wartime Netherlands.

despite war and blackouts - the carts in Ukraine are well lit as the picture in the article shows https://witness.co.za/news/2026/01/29/russian-drone-strikes-kill-3-in-southern-ukraine-governor/

We see this comment on the forums from time to time, but it's important to remember where it comes from and what it means. It comes from Ezekiel 7:19 meaning, https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102017166#h=25 It is not in relationships to some economic collapse, but rather the realization by ones than no amount of money can buy someone's salvation. And this happens AFTER the great tribulation has begun not before. So, money must still have value then (just not to God) for ones to even attempt to use it. We agree money is not where our focus or salvation is, but using this verse in reference to an economic collapse is not accurate.

Screenshot from today, LBC in Uk, They're ok, I feel very sad it happened

People have asked if one news report or another is a distraction or not. Folks, this is a distraction.

If you’re on iPhone/iPad (possibly also mac) then I highly recommend an app called JWX which works on top of your JW Library, adding not only transcripts but even parses the transcript to make the scriptures detected in it hyperlinked:

Very possibly, yes. On the other hand, given the nature of the government, with covert operations everywhere, I think the brothers would be extremely careful about messaging apps. This actually brings back memories of how brothers evaded the authorities during WWII. Letters tor telegraphs that would say "Mother sends her love", or "We had a wedding reception at a nice hotel. They had a pool". IYKYK 😉

Wow, I see now that I am a Regular Member here at this great website! Thanks so much to the great moderators here for the update to my status. Roger

That’s a great analogy Bea! And I do agree with the speaker, it is close… things have changed so much this past 6 months, the underlying tension in the world just seems…. Different, somehow! You keep doing what you’re doing Bea, you bring comfort to all of us 🥰

A governmental agency here in France, called the Miviludes (a real pain in the neck), has issued a number of accusations against our Congregation (you know all the classics: "brainwashing", "refusing blood transfusions", "not reporting abuse", etc) Our brothers at the French legal department has dismantled every single falsehood spread by our opposers in a letter that has then been publically available on their official website Such skillful refutation of false allegations is worth reading: https://temoinsdejehovah.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/Recours-gracieux.pdf All glory to Jehovah

New support is urgently needed for the UN to continue. Secretary-General has sent a letter to members declaring a financial emergency. He said the ship must right itself by June or it's a race to bankruptcy, "As of early 2026, the organization is grappling with a severe liquidity crisis driven by record-high arrears from member states - notably the USA, China and Russia - and outdated financial rules". But, Guterres has been Secretary-General for 9 years, and this problem has persisted on his watch. One official said Guterras will have the legacy of the worst SG in the history of the UN. The UN was the hope of the world, but now is viewed as an irrelevant, failed idea. There are four things converging on the UN: The deeply-rooted systemic problems resulting in a financial collapse. A new Secretary-General needs to be selected, acceptable to the security council plus 4 rotating nations. Trump's new Board of Peace alternative. Rev. 17:17. Only by an act of God will the UN last long enough to carry out one final mission, destroy religion.