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I have thought a lot about Jehovah's invitation, “do not be afraid,” often repeated to his people in ancient times. Jesus also used this expression and its derivatives on numerous occasions. This is not just a simple slogan that is easy to offer in conversation when someone expresses suffering and asks for a comforting, encouraging response. It is not a denial of the reality that the person is going through. It is simply a highlighting of Genesis 3:15. Fear has become instinctive and primal since that day. We must all face it with faith. Jehovah and Jesus always strive to shift the center of gravity of our fears and breakdowns (betraying, denying, not holding on until the end, being so tired of everything...). The idea is therefore to reorient courage, not to anesthetize it in order to wake it up later. Courage and faith go hand in hand. They must not sleep, they have to walk. We are at war, the fighting on the front lines is exhausting, and sometimes we just want the hostilities to stop. We would like to lay our heads on a pillow, close our eyes, and drift off into a sweet dream. So it really takes courage to fight against sleep and stay awake until the end. Thank you David for this topic.

Okay I had this saved on my phone and I just had to share! 😂

Excellent beginning...now I'm intrigued by what may be coming next!🤔

Well done, David. Good information and application Another aspect to bananas - when they turn brown to black, they are not useless as that is when they make the best banana bread. So, like us, just because we have gotten a little old it doesn't mean we should give up ... we can still be useful.

Job’s false comforters prove your expression accurate. Where I live, there’s an old saying about dining out: If you can’t afford to leave a tip, don’t go out to eat. It reminds me—if we’re going to visit someone with the intent to comfort them, we shouldn’t go empty-handed. We don’t need eloquent speeches; we need simple, heartfelt words like, “I’m here for you,” “I’ve been praying for you,” or when the moment allows, “Would it be all right if I said a prayer?” And when we can honestly say, “Jehovah has helped me—I know he can help you,” that’s not just sympathy. That’s sharing the very comfort we were comforted with.

It's beautiful, David, form and content. Once again, I learned 🤍 but did I understand correctly? So, in the streets of San Francisco, the voice of the ocean offered a new sonic backdrop to the city during the pandemic? And for their part, the sparrows, no longer needing to create a new sound to be heard in the hustle and bustle of urban traffic, offered a unique, free concert to their own avian family and, incidentally, to the city's residents? This idea that ambient noise steals the sound of life is magnificent, because it reveals the reality of everything in us that is distorted by the environment, habitat, and so many other factors. Does this mean that all animals living near large urban centers have modified their sound, their song and their way of communicating with each other? When the time for restoration arrives, we mustn't miss the opportunity : who will we become, what 'me' will we encounter, what voice will come out of a repaired body? And what a discovery when everyone we know experiences the same metamorphosis. Exponential love will emerge victorious. I really LOVE the narrative voice. Simply, without the written text as support, those of us who are not English speakers run the risk of missing out on these glimpses of wonder, and it would be such a shame not to have access to them.

When we walk through a forest or meadow and suddenly run into a single thread of silk, it’s not always part of a web. Many times it’s the leftover strand from a spider’s ballooning attempt. Spiderlings climb to a high point, release silk, and hope to be carried by air currents or even the earth’s electric field. Some get lifted far away, but many don’t. Their silk just drifts a short distance, catches on a branch or stem, and stays behind — stretched invisibly across our path until we walk through it.

A good story has the power to alter your viewpoint...but words that stem from the deepest part of any human heart has the power to change lives...and that is something anyone can do...regardless of how you write. Even if not a single other human on earth ever hears those stories...they are still reaching the one person who wants to hear them most💕

To tell the truth, I don't regret it at all ☺️. When someone reads my hieroglyphics he becomes real archaeologist.

This is the perfect description of the episode where Jesus sleeps soundly on the boat, while the storm rages to the point of frightening his disciples, who don't understand this abandonment in sleep. There is a storm around us, the world is afraid and we are sleeping the sleep of the righteous. We just have to avoid resting on our laurels...

❤️❤️❤️'The voice of life...' And to think that the earth heard this still small voice of life one autumn night, perhaps in October, a very long time ago. A stable echoed, and at the same time, shepherds heard the voice of angels relaying the cry of life that saves. Thank you very much.

I can only imagine how your brother's strong faith has moved you, and yours is in evidence, too. Yes, such situations early in our lives, where our very existence may be in question, can lead to different reactions. For me, it meant holding onto Jehovah's hand from earliest times, as a place of refuge and strength. Your dear brother understood this too, and clearly is still an inspiration for you and others to this day. Thanks for sharing this with us.

@Pikachu @Mike047 @Denton The scriptures have always been there. What changes is when we take the time to read them carefully and apply them in our life. When we meditate on Jehovah’s Word, that’s when we begin ‘putting meaning into it’ and allowing it to reach our heart — just as was done when the Law was read and explained to the people. (Nehemiah 8:8) Just to clarify, this was simply a meditation on one of the five principles Brother Flegel highlighted in the first part of the annual meeting. It wasn’t meant to introduce something new, but to reflect on how applying what Jehovah has already given us can deepen its meaning for us personally.

Thank you so much! I needed this today. Reading your spiritual considerations is something I always look forward to doing since they are encouraging and uplifting. I'm grateful you've shared your hard work with us.

thank you so much for this.

I understood from the research that under normal conditions, you can’t hear the ocean crashing on the rocks from the Golden Gate Bridge because the city and traffic noise usually drown it out. During the shutdown, even the foghorns echoed clearly. The sparrows didn’t create a new song; rather, they sang much softer because they no longer needed to compete with the traffic noise. Scientists were able to record vocal qualities they had never captured before. As for other animals, my research didn’t cover that, but I’ll be discussing another species that benefited — penguins — in an upcoming blog.

That’s a really thoughtful set of questions. On the first one — I do believe each of us has a unique relationship with Jehovah, one that naturally includes our personal perception of him but goes deeper than that. You’ve not leaned on him the way I have, and I’ve not leaned on him the way you have. Our experiences overlap in faith and in principle, but they’re lived out differently. Moses’ bond with Jehovah wasn’t like Abraham’s, and Abraham’s wasn’t like David’s. Each was deeply personal, shaped by Jehovah’s perfect knowledge of who they were. So are these relationships forever “parallel”? In one sense, yes — each relationship remains uniquely personal. But in another sense, they converge. Here is where simultaneity helps us: two observers can see the same event differently, but that doesn’t mean truth itself is relative. It means perception depends on where you stand. In the same way, Jehovah is the one constant Source. Every rainbow points back to the same sun. Every faithful Christian’s relationship points back to the same God. The differences in how we experience him reflect our frames of reference, our history, our emotions, our needs. But those differences are not permanent divisions. Over time Jehovah draws all of his people closer, until our unique lines of sight harmonize under one Shepherd (John 10:16). That leads into your second question about the anointed and the other sheep. The anointed are chosen for a unique assignment, and one mark of that calling is the direct witness of the spirit — “the spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom. 8:16). That isn’t simply information — it’s a felt assurance, a gift of the spirit that leaves no doubt in their hearts. The “other sheep” don’t receive that same inner witness, but they are no less loved. Jesus promised they too would be gathered in, cared for, and united with the anointed as “one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). For us, the assurance of Jehovah’s love often grows in another way: by faith. Through study, prayer, and applying what we learn, we perceive Jehovah’s love as it takes root in our life. It might not be the same direct witness the anointed feel, but it is no less real. Psalm 103:13 reminds us that Jehovah shows mercy to each one individually, as a father does to his children. And that ties into why I have confidence in these answers. I still remember the very first time I was assigned an Instruction Talk as a young brother. I had worked hard in preparation, but as I stood in the back of the Kingdom Hall waiting for my turn, I offered a very direct prayer to Jehovah. I told him: “This congregation belongs to you. I’ve done my part by preparing. If I go up there and say something wrong, then you make sure they hear it right. If I stand up there and say the Trinity is true, it’s up to you to make sure they get the right message.” Immediately, all nervousness left me. There was no confusion, no hesitation. Just clarity. I walked up, gave the talk, and walked away with a quiet satisfaction — the kind that comes when you know Jehovah has supported you. From that moment on, I’ve carried the confidence that if I put in my effort, Jehovah will back me up in my ministry, whether in a talk or in another form of service. Later, I was asked to give the Instruction Talk at a circuit assembly back when they still ran for two days. Brother Hurd was our District Overseer at the time. I remember asking him afterward: “You give the same talks week after week. Do you still get nervous?” His answer surprised me: “Every single time.” But for me, ever since that very first prayer, I have never been nervous for a talk. My prayer has remained the same: “I’ve done my part. You take it from here.” Even when I’ve gone up to the platform not feeling well, the confidence has held. I trusted Jehovah to carry me through, and he always has. For me, the miracle was that first time — when all the nerves vanished in an instant. After that, I no longer saw it as a miracle every time, because for Jehovah it isn’t a miracle at all. It’s simply his possibility. What feels impossible for me is nothing for him. And that’s why I trust him. So yes — each relationship is unique, shaped by the ways we have leaned on Jehovah. But all of us can place faith in him. That faith may rest on different experiences, different frames of reference, but the trust is the same — in Jehovah’s unfailing love (Rom. 8:38-39).

Truly fascinating, as usual, thank you +++, but I have a question, David @dljbsp. Given what you write about simultaneity and personal perception, can we think that when Jesus and the Bible speak to us about Jehovah, each of us has a personal perception of him, a bit like when two people look at a rainbow at the same time? Will these perceptions forever remain parallel, or can we hope they will become perpendicular, even if only in one respect? I thought about this with this sentence from today's text: 'Anointed Christians know that they are "loved by God."' Is this unique to the anointed, is it a knowledge that the other sheep don't have, at least not in the same way? The text says that the Holy Spirit makes them feel God's love, through their anointing. This means that the other sheep don't have access to this feeling, doesn't it? Jude 1 and 1 John 3:1 seem to show that it is a reserved love, ' that we might be called children of God!+ And that is what we are.' What do they feel that we fail to feel? I don't even know if the question is right. I'm just wondering, but perhaps over the years on this Forum the question has already been asked, addressed, and widely documented.

Fascinating, thank you, David. I've always wondered about geniuses in the history of humanity, those who made fundamental discoveries that allowed civilization to advance with the legs of a Gulliver among the Lilliputians. Where would we be, globally, without their discoveries? What could Jesus have revealed to us about the universe if he had let his abysmal knowledge spread like a river? I imagine we'll know in the New World when he reigns, teaches, reveals, coordinates, undertakes... and when the sleeping geniuses awaken, will they still be the exceptional minds that Jehovah and Jesus will use to popularize the most advanced knowledge? I wonder : Theorists will no longer exist in the NW, will they?

Such power & beauty in everyone of Jehovah's creation - each of your entries lights up a different part of my brain, David! This ongoing education is so vital yet a small sample of what's to come! Cannot Wait!

Why don’t we just call parrots “mockingbirds”? Because if you put the two side by side, the parrot would laugh you out of the room — and then repeat it back to you, word for word, for the next fifty years. Mockingbirds are songbirds. Slim, robin-sized, polite little neighbors who show off by copying the whistle of another bird, or maybe the chirp of a cricket, or the squeak of a gate hinge. They’re the karaoke singers of the bird world. Impressive? Sure. But it’s still karaoke. Parrots are a whole different league. These guys have the beak power to snap a broomstick, feet built like climbing hooks, and brains wired for social bonding. When they mimic, it’s not to score points with a mate — it’s to join your flock. That’s why they can learn entire vocabularies, not just a patchwork of noises. Mockingbirds are remix DJs. Parrots are stand-up comedians with encyclopedias for tongues. And the names stuck. “Mockingbird” came from their habit of mocking other birds. “Parrot” came from old words that basically meant “squawky companion.” Neither side minds — but call a parrot a mockingbird, and you might find yourself corrected, loudly, in your own voice.

Beautiful thoughts and expressions! It's never easy being the support for someone else, especially someone you've known they were a child or vice versa. The more history you have with that person...the harder it becomes to be objective, truly objective. This is where it gets hard to be a Witness sometimes...because we are told to love everyone, we are commanded to expand and expand...and expand. We're told that by worrying about other people, we won't have any time to worry about ourselves. While this is true, it's also extremely exhausted, mentally and in every other way you can possibly imagine...and some you can't. When you decide to take a mental step backwards and look at what's really going on with yourself...you see pretty quickly what you are actually doing...you are a juggler...doing your best to hold on to four balls at once while 10 more dance in the air around you. You aren't that good, I'm not either. We both know Jehovah is helping you keep all those balls dancing in the air. Others may see you as amazing...they wonder how you keep it all together. The truth is, you have no idea either. Most days it feels like the balls have long since fallen and you will soon be relegated to crawling around on the floor, desperately trying to collect them all. This is where Jehovah's spirit comes in, this is where the Almighty holds you together, keeps your arms working smoothly as you continue to juggle. Writing is an outlet in which humans express everything going on in their conscious mind...until the subconscious feels left out and starts forcing its way onto the page. I'll bet if you really think about it, some of what you wrote may have been a revelation even to yourself. I'll bet if you really stop to think about it, you may have even uncovered an idea or two of how to deal with things going forward. That's the beauty of writing, that's the incredible gift Jehovah has given us when spoken words just don't seem like enough. Thank you for allowing us a window into what's going on with you. A lot of people on this site may read what you write and never tell you how it made them feel, how your words affected them. When that happens, don't lose heart. Don't give up, don't quit writing. Why? Because you are in the best of company. Jehovah's words have changed the lives of millions upon millions of people...some have thanked him, some have worshiped him...some even live by it, having no idea that he is the origin of it. And yet others refuse to acknowledge him or that he even exists. But none of that changes the fact that these are his ideas, his words as expressed by other humans. So even if it seems like a lot of people are reading while no one is saying a word...just know that you're in good company...and keep writing...keep expressing yourself...because that's what Jehovah does!

The power of a good story, among other things, is to awaken memories. Here I am entering first grade, and writing sessions bore me, even though I try hard. As a result, I've always written like a doctor; my handwriting is illegible. I regret being so bored!😏

There are some birds that are less than a week incubation, and others, far longer than at chicken. The Wandering Albatross is 78-80 days. Even the platypus, only incubates their eggs, 10 days

Still captivating to read. "What if Jehovah's design is like that… quiet, hidden, patient?" This reminds me of the talk of a Branch Representative who asked the question: how and when did Satan know that Jesus was the promised Seed? When he no longer saw him in Heaven. That's how he understood what Jehovah had been keeping secret, with such patience and calm, since the events in Eden. This is a guess, I don't know if that's how it happened, but in any case it's in line with what is said here.

Clear and concise and love your dash of humor. Plus, I feel wiser for having read this 😊—me and my brain both thank you, David!

Thank you, sister — that was beautifully said. That moment on the boat has always moved me too. The waves didn’t wake Jesus, but the fear in his friends’ voices did. And I love what you drew out: it’s not just about peace in the storm… it’s about who’s in the boat. We aren’t naïve to the chaos — we’re just not alone in it. Yes, there’s a sleep that comes from spiritual laziness… but there’s also a sleep of trust. Of having done what we can — and then letting go. Like the horse that finally folds its legs and rests, because the world is quiet enough to allow it. But your reminder is perfect: it’s not time to lie down and stay. There’s work to do. So maybe we do rest a little — not out of apathy, but out of assurance. Because when it’s time to move again, we’ll rise at our Master’s voice.

Perfectly said, my sister!

In fact, if we are old in the truth we are likely well bred. Also, black bananas cooked with a little rum is not bad either.

So I understand that we must let our hearts develop, produce pretty freckles, a sign of maturity? 🤔

That question really opens the door for something meaningful. Just like our physical eyes can be temporarily blinded by sudden exposure to intense light, our spiritual eyes can also be overwhelmed in real life. It might happen when someone first learns a powerful Bible truth before they’re emotionally ready to accept it — like the idea that God has a name, or that he doesn’t cause suffering. Now, I’ll be honest — I’ve always found it surprising when people get thrown by that first one. To me, learning that God has a name was a beautiful thing. Suddenly he wasn’t just a title in the sky — he was personal. Real. Closer. But for someone raised on the idea that “God” is this vague, distant force, finding out he has an actual name — Jehovah — can feel like too much light at once. Even though it’s good news, it can still sting the eyes a bit. That blinding moment doesn’t mean something’s wrong with the truth — it just means the heart needs time to adjust. And then there are the moments that don’t come with new facts — they come with impact. A loss, a betrayal, a sudden hit to your health or confidence — and just like that, you’re blinking hard, trying to find your footing. You still believe what you believed yesterday, but everything’s fuzzy. You’re not blind, exactly. Just squinting in the spiritual glare. But here’s the mercy in it: Jehovah doesn’t stand there tapping his foot while we stumble around. Psalm 119:105 doesn’t say his word is a stadium light to fry your retinas — it’s a lamp to your foot. One step at a time. That means we don’t have to see the whole road. Just enough to keep moving forward. Sometimes that light comes in the form of a gentle reminder from a friend. Or a quiet moment at the meeting where something clicks again. Or maybe it’s a walk around the block with a prayer hanging in the air like fog — no big answers, just the sense that you’re not alone in it. If you’ve ever felt spiritually “blinded,” that’s not failure. It might just mean you’re mid-adjustment. And when you keep turning toward Jehovah — even with one eye half-closed and your hand shielding your face — eventually that light that once overwhelmed you becomes the very thing that clears your vision. And when that happens… well, you don’t forget it.

Gosh David ... home run 👍. I 'll never see bananas in the same way from here on!

That's amazing, thank you for showing us these beautiful creatures! 🥰

I imagine that’s the bane of a writer’s existence - the work,, the research, the editing, the love that goes into each piece shared yet rarely any connection or even reaction from the reader. Often times, I’m humbled to speechlessness by your writing, good sir. This could very well be such a time - but for the quiet realization that emojis barely honor your efforts of awakening appreciation for Jehovah’s extraordinary creations. There’s a steady blaze of amazement in those words. I thank you for sharing & Jehovah God for inspiring!

I do appreciate the feedback. As I can get hundreds of readers or people that viewed it. But few, if any comments or even a thumbs up.

A superb presentation, as usual. Thanks again for your insightful presentations.

I love reading the way you put things, David! The Great Mathematician astounds us. How wonderful that he has made everything for us to learn and explore, under his direction. It will be just so amazing to be there and learn about it all. "That kind of course correction takes more than math". And Jehovah is already teaching us how to live united and start the process of that course correction, thanks to the ransom. Very humbling and exciting!

As kids I remember looking up a lot more - at the clouds by day and at the stars by night. The sky is fascinating as a child, and now even more so as we learn so much about the universe thanks to modern telescopes. We see Jehovah’s magnificent beauty in creation. And know barely the “fringes of his ways”. We have eternity to keep learning, and to be so grateful. And who knows, time travel adventures may even be a possibility? 😁 Thanks again David for your post. What a contrast between humans wanting their glory, “a contest of pride”, and Jehovah sharing his creation with us! We ‘lift up our eyes’ and know who has created these things, and we rightfully give him glory.

Another great post, David 👍 And from our WT study this week, par 14: *** w25 April pp. 10-12 par. 14 “Drawing Near to God Is Good” for Us! *** He also wants us to show high regard for the gift of life. We draw closer to the Giver of life by maintaining balanced habits in eating and drinking and by caring for our health in other reasonable ways. Every effort we make to please Jehovah, even in seemingly small things, will endear us to him.—Luke 16:10. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2025361&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=23 A good reminder for me not to indulge my sugar cravings 🍩

Brother, I continue to thoroughly appreciate your insightful expressions. You truly have a poetic soul. Thanks so much for sharing.

Did the WT conductor say that?

No better way to say it!

" Before there was breath… there was love." It's not that I bring everything back to Jesus but this reminds me of a scene from the movie: Jesus comes up from the water, he hasn't plugged his nose to protect his lungs, unlike all those who preceded him in baptism. The Holy Spirit then tells him that his initial address was outside the known universe. He seems to understand exactly what you're saying, that his lungs were filled with love before being filled with air. Then he smiles as he looks up at the sky, because he finally sees the one who fills him with love before filling him with oxygen, and he thinks of him in a new way, other than by an effort of thought and through typically human eyes. Beautiful! Before there was breath there was love... This post opens the way to a special sense of wonder. I will remember it.

These are things I have to delve deep into my heart to try to fully understand and appreciate. Then came your words, my dear sister. I am all but speechless with gratitude and love.

I don't make this stuff up . . .

An amazing account of this wonderful process of life. Thanks again.

Only between 10,000-50,000 left….

Yep will be interesting to see what toys remain and that are useful… But we have over 144,000 superhumans with special power and imbued knowledge that will provide the big and little picture.. Stand back and be prepared to be amazed in our involvement…

And it never leaves off!