Look, we’ve all been there – that heart-stopping moment when your computer decides to have a meltdown just before a crucial deadline or, worse, when it’s storing years of precious family photos. At PC Geeks, we’ve seen too many tearful customers who wished they’d backed up their data before their computer repairs. Let me share some real-world wisdom about why data backup isn’t just technical mumbo-jumbo – it’s about protecting your digital life.
When Murphy’s Law Meets Modern Technology
You know how it goes: your computer usually works fine until that one crucial moment when you need it most. Maybe it’s right before your thesis submission, or perhaps when you’re putting together that presentation for tomorrow’s big meeting. That’s exactly when things tend to go wrong. And trust me, in our repair shop, we’ve seen it all – from coffee-soaked laptops to mysterious blue screens of death that appear out of nowhere.
The Hidden Dangers During Computer Repair
Here’s something most people don’t realize: even a seemingly simple computer repair can put your data at risk. When we open up your computer to fix a faulty hard drive or replace a damaged component, there’s always a chance that things could go sideways. Power surges, static electricity, or even necessary system resets can potentially wipe out your data. It’s not about incompetence – it’s about being prepared for the unexpected.
Real Stories from Our Repair Bench
Just last month, we had a customer – let’s call her Sarah – who brought in her laptop with a failing hard drive. She had years of family photos, including her children’s first steps and precious videos of her late grandmother. The hard drive was making that dreaded clicking sound (tech folks know exactly what I’m talking about). While we managed to save most of her data through some serious technical wizardry, it was a close call that could have been avoided with proper backup.
Why Your Data Matters More Than You Think
Think about everything stored on your computer right now: tax documents, family photos, work projects, maybe even that novel you’ve been working on for years. Now imagine it all disappearing in an instant. Scary, right? That’s why we at PC Geeks always emphasize the importance of data backup before any repair work begins.
The Smart Way to Back Up Your Data
Data backup doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Here’s what we recommend to our customers:
The 3-2-1 approach: Keep three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy stored off-site. This might sound like overkill, but trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.
Cloud storage is your friend. Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive offer generous free storage space. They’re like having a safety deposit box for your digital valuables.
External hard drives are still relevant. They’re affordable, portable, and perfect for large amounts of data. Just remember to store them somewhere safe!
When Disaster Strikes: The Recovery Process
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, data loss happens. That’s when having a backup becomes worth its weight in gold. At PC Geeks, we’ve seen the relief on customers’ faces when we tell them their data is safe because they had a backup. It’s much better than the alternative conversation we sometimes have to have.
Making It a Habit
The best backup is the one that happens automatically. Set up automated backups, and then forget about them (but maybe check once in a while to make sure they’re working). It’s like having a silent guardian for your digital life.
The PC Geeks Promise
When you bring your computer to us, we’ll always advise you on the best backup solutions for your needs. We’re not just here to fix computers – we’re here to protect what matters to you. Your digital memories, documents, and data are as important to us as they are to you.
Remember, in today’s digital age, data backup isn’t just a technical necessity – it’s a form of self-care for your digital life. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Take it from us at PC Geeks: the time you spend backing up your data today could save you countless hours of heartache tomorrow.
Need help setting up a reliable backup system? Contact us at PC Geeks, and we’ll help you protect what matters most. Because in our book, an ounce of prevention is worth a terabyte of cure.
With an increasing numbers of Xbox console-exclusive games starting to appear on Sony’s PlayStation 5, some players are openly wondering why they should purchase one of Microsoft’s consoles. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has fueled some of that talk by pushing for more Xbox titles on other consoles and PC. In a new interview, Spencer also acknowledges that the hardware differences between Xbox Series X and PS5 have drastically diminished.
Spencer recently appeared on The Destin Channel, and he shared his belief that the the current console generation is too similar. That’s why he wants to see the next iteration of Xbox offer innovations that will make it an easier choice for players.
“I want us to innovate and make the hardware the differentiator,” explained Spencer. “We’ve got into this space where the differentiation on the hardware has gone down and it’s really been locked games that you’ve tried to make the identity of the hardware. I love when I see handhelds, when I see kind of unique things that hardware manufacturers do. And I want our hardware to compete… so let’s have our platform continue to innovate with services and the hardware work that we’re doing… I think that’s our identity going forward and it’s working for us now.”
GitHub Copilot Edits (Preview) in Visual Studio 2022 combines the conversational flow of chat and an inline review experience to help you iterate across your codebase with more control and efficiency.
💡 Here’s how Copilot Edits helps with iterating across multiple files:
Preview with clarity: Review a clear summary that highlights affected files and proposed changes.
Review with flow: View code diffs inline, directly in your editor. Either the TAB key to accept and Alt+Del keys to reject individual changes, or apply/dismiss all at once.
Iterate with confidence: Use checkpoints to revisit earlier iterations of a code file or try an alternative approach anytime for novel ideas.
Get started with GitHub Copilot Edits in Visual Studio
Start an Edits thread: In the Copilot Chat window, click the Edits thread button (a “+” symbol with a pencil icon).
Describe your changes: Use natural language to describe your edits, just as you would in Copilot Chat.
Specify context or let Copilot discover: Copilot Edits will automatically consider your current file, open files, or search for related files across your codebase. You can also specify context using # commands like #errors, #file, #solution.
For more details on how to use Copilot Edits, visit our documentation.
We appreciate your feedback
Your feedback is invaluable for helping us improve Copilot Edits – please share with us on the Developer Community ticket for Copilot Edits or the Send Feedback button in Visual Studio.
It’s a new year and it’s time for a writer’s pep-talk. Job one: it’s time to raise your rates.
I can hear you quaking in your boots from here. But I want you to consider this. The beginning of a year is a naturally great time to break the news to existing clients that rates are going up. Ideally, you want to put the news out to them in the waning days of the previous year, but at worst the first month.
Maybe not for every client. But if you’re going to keep raising your average hourly rate, you need to keep raising rates.
So it’s time to take a look at who you’re writing for, and what they are paying you. Who pays the least, on an hourly basis? Make a list of your lowest payers.
Now you’ve got a decision to make. There are only two ways to make rates go up: Either existing clients have to pay more, or you have to go out and find better-paying clients, and then drop the lower payers.
So first question: Do you think there is any chance you can get these clients to pay more? If you write for flat-rate content sites or bidding sites, that would be a big no. Their pay will likely remain exactly the same in the coming year. If your clients aren’t negotiable on rates, it’s time to look at your marketing plan for adding better-paying clients.
Will you write advice articles on Biznik? Attend in-person networking events? What’s been working for you in the past? What do you want to try that’s new? Figure out how you will attract new clients this year, and create a schedule for when you’ll do your marketing.
If it is possible your existing clients will pay more, it’s time to write them a letter. Let them know your business is growing and thriving, and rates are rising.
Raise your rates: an example
I actually just did this with a client I had on a two-month contract at $1,600 a month. The project suffered from massive scope creep as it went along and became really $3,000 or more a month of work. When they let me know they wanted to extend the contract, I informed them I was happy to keep working for them, but not at that rate. I proposed a new rate—not $3,000 as I was sure that would make them bolt, but one that gave me nearly a 30% raise, to the point where I felt the account would be worth continuing and wouldn’t lower my overall average hourly rate.
I documented how the project had changed and what going rates were for the types of work I was now doing. I showed them the massive discount they would still be getting. I mentioned that the economy is turning around and many clients are competing for my time.
And bottom line, rates had to go up. Or I’m walking.
Feels scary, doesn’t it? But you’ll need a little courage if you’re going to increase what you earn year to year.
At the moment I sent this proposal, in mid-December, January was only about half booked up, and a lot of assignments were still hanging and uncertain. But it had to happen, because the point of it all is I need to make a living.
Now is the time to lock in better rates. You never know when the opportunity will disappear to talk rate increases. For example, I had one hourly-rate client that I was getting $85 an hour with. I had the sense other freelancers for them were making more, so I told them my rate was going up in the next year to $95 an hour. They grumbled a little, but went for it. (I later learned others were getting $120, so I was still a deal.)
Of course, my timing was great. Less than a year later, the economy was collapsing, and I wouldn’t have dared to broach a rate increase.
The payoff: it turned out to be a very busy time for this client, and I earned more than $5,000 of additional income over the next two years. That’s right, five large for doing exactly what I would have done…just getting paid more for it. Because I simply asked for it.
So ask for a raise—you deserve it, and it’s worth the risk.
It doesn’t need to be a big sale event for an exciting deal to drop. There have been quite a few deals appearing at numerous retailers that have been well worth jumping on after the holidays, and this discount on an Apple iPad Mini is no different.
The Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro, 128GB, WiFi) has dropped to $399 at Amazon. This is $100 off its list price of $499 and marks a return to its lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If you’ve had your eye on this tablet and have been waiting for the best time to grab it, now’s a great time to do so.
Alongside its portable design, this tablet boasts a Liquid Retina display that makes images pop on its 8.3-inch screen and the new A17 Pro chip for powerful performance. In our review, Mashable’s Stan Schroeder says, “If you’re new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice.”
Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League Direct Download:
From Rocksteady Studios, the creators of the Batman: Arkham series, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a genre-defying third-person action shooter where the ultimate band of misfits must do the impossible to save the world: Kill the Justice League. Join the newly “recruited” members of Amanda Waller’s infamous Task Force X (aka the Suicide Squad), Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and King Shark, as they set out on an impossible mission to Kill the Justice League. Drop into an expansive and dynamic open-world Metropolis ravaged by Brainiac’s invasion and terrorized by the heroes who once protected it. SuperSorry
Each Squad member brings their own traversal mechanics to help them navigate a sprawling and battle-torn Metropolis, combining free-roaming exploration and combat verticality for an unforgettable experience. Players are free to experiment with a variety of different play styles to unleash maximum damage on their enemies. Whether in single player or online with up to three of your friends, players can take on this suicide mission their own way. Post-launch, players can expect a continuously evolving Metropolis with free new playable villains, environments, weapons, in-game events, and more, all included with purchase of the base game.
Features and System Requirements:
Take control of iconic anti-heroes Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark, each with unique abilities, combat styles, and personalities.
Explore a massive, dynamic version of Metropolis, which serves as the main battleground. The city is fully explorable and filled with opportunities for combat and exploratio
Experience seamless 1-4 player co-op gameplay. Play solo and switch between squad members, or team up with friends for a fully cooperative experience.
Customize your squad members with different gear, outfits, and upgrades to match your playstyle and strategy.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
OS: Win 10 (64 bit)
Processor: Intel i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 7 5800 X3D
Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2080 or AMD RX 6800-XT (16GiB)
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 65 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Well, if it is such an older project, then it doubtful that newer technologies like razor pages exist, or even existed back then.
Your screen show shows a good old plain jane standard master page.
A master page is an “over all” template of which then you can specify child pages. This is typically used to maintain the top content, and most often thus a menu bar is used.
Hence, say a page like this:
So, your screen shot shows a master page. It is as noted a page that renders first, and then the child .aspx page is also rendered. So, for a side menu bar, or most often top menu content, then a simple standard “master” page is used.
So, in regards to webform projects?
Master pages are quite much a bread-and-butter type of form used in near all such applications. As noted, you are allowed multiple master pages. And they can’t be loaded alone. In other words, you can’t navigate to some master page, but ONLY to a form created (a child form) that specified the master page to use when being created.
So, master pages are NOT valid URL’s.
To use a master page, then when creating a standard .aspx page, you can choose to create a web page with a master page, or a page without.
Hence, when adding a web page to a project, you see these two options:
If you choose to create a page with master page? Then you see a 2nd prompt appear after asking you to choose the master page.
Hence this:
Of course, if you have more then one master page, then you see multiple choice for which master page to “combine” with the .aspx page you are creating.
So, a “master” page is common, and standard fair in webform projects.
And for “complex” web sites, then often you have nesting of such menu bars, and thus you see these options for creating a master page, of which can be nested from another. Again, often done for a menu bar going across the top, but then choosing one menu item, then the child page has a menu bar on the side – and that’s the nested master page you choose when adding pages for that one given “nesting” of the site.
Hence these 2 choices when creating a master page:
I can’t say I often used “nested” master pages, but for a large site with many pages and options, then that’s an option. And it’s a common UI choice when nesting say a menu bar across the top, and then drilling down along the side.
The default when creating a new project is to have one master page, and it will be created for you. And the default (for many years now) has been to use a bootstrap formatted menu bar for that master page.
So, for site “branding”, or the often parts that don’t change from page to page such as the menu bar and things like company logo, then a master page is used.
Think of this site (stackoverflow), and how the top menu part of the page remains the same when you navigate from page to page. So, a master page solves the typical requirement for site navigation and having a consistent top part of the page render for all pages.
Another advantage is of course when you change the master page, then all child pages in the site will reflect such changes, since they are all sharing the one instance and copy of the master page.
Don’t get your hopes up for discrete Radeon RX 9000-series GPUs in laptops anytime soon. An AMD executive recently covered a range of topics about the company’s highly anticipated new hardware in an interview with Notebookcheck—and during that talk, he sounded a note of caution about taking desktop graphics mobile in the near future.
“Our current graphics strategy is focused on the desktop market with RDNA 4,” Ben Conrad, AMD’s Director of Product Management for Client, said when responding to a question about RDNA 4 as a discrete GPU in a laptop. “So, I think you’ll see those types of products first in the future. Certainly, RDNA 4 and future graphics technologies will make it into mobile, whether they be on APUs or future products.”
It’s not all that surprising that AMD isn’t putting RDNA 4 into high-end gaming laptops as discrete GPUs. It seems focused on a solid launch for its Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs. The company announced them at CES when unveiling the AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT. But, as VideoCardz points out, this means Nvidia will be uncontested for discrete laptop GPUs this go around.
Credit: AMD
With its latest generation of desktop graphics cards, AMD seems to be taking aim directly at midrange desktop gaming PCs. The company changed the Radeon RX naming structure slightly with the 9000 series, using tens instead of hundreds to denote different GPUs. The naming structure makes it easier for customers to compare AMD GPUs to Nvidia GPUs.
Just how fierce the 2025 competition will be between AMD and Nvidia gaming GPUs remains to be seen. And let’s not forget Intel’s Battlemage Arc B580, Intel’s best effort yet at breaking open the AMD/Nvidia lock on desktop gaming graphics. Intel also released the Arc B570, which impressed PCMag reviewers.
Nvidia’s Geforce RTX 5090 and 5080 hit retailers on Jan. 30, but high prices are raising concerns about their availability, even as reviewers are labeling the RTX 5090 a “beast.” AMD is shooting for March for its RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 release (according to PC Gamer), which gives Nvidia a head start. But if AMD’s GPU is a solid competitor, we’re looking at an excellent 2025 for gamers who want to upgrade. There’s still too much up in the air to declare Nvidia the take-all winner.
Teaching children about Christ doesn’t have to be difficult and if you use these words to create a song or rhyme, even better! It’ll help the kids understand and remember them better!
The point is to get as many Christian “nuggets” into the hearts and souls of our little ones WHILE they are still impressionable. Because when our children start to become teens and older, they usually begin to rebel and want to do things their way and they need to go through that time of doing things their way to learn.
However, we want to instill in them as many Christian things as we can, a solid biblical foundation in their hearts, souls, and minds.
These words will do just that!
Teaching God to Children A-Z
These tools will not only help you witness and speak about God to other children, but they will also help those children better understand what Christianity is all about.
Turn it into a Sunday school 26-week study!
Go over it with your kids, one each day for a month.
Think about how you can use these teachings to reach the children in your neighborhood.
There’s no right or wrong way to use these! ❤️
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter A – Adoption
When I was younger, the word adoption didn’t really mean much to me, but as I’ve gotten older, and I have no family (my parents are deceased and no siblings), adoption in Christ now means the world.
It means we’re no longer alone in this world, that we’ve been grafted into the family of God, and all of a sudden, we have brothers and sisters. It’s a truly beautiful thing, especially for the orphaned, abandoned, lost, and forgotten children in this world.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter B – Bible
The Bible is our #1 handbook for how to be a good Christian. It’s our lifeline between us and Jesus. Reading it, studying it, and getting to know the words on the pages are jewels, Living Water to our souls.
Except for bathrooms and the kitchen, I have a Bible in every single room in my home. It’s THAT important.
At the time the Bible was being written, they didn’t have Bibles like we have today. They went to church to hear an elder or preacher read from the scroll and that was the only jewel they got that week.
Today, Bibles are in every motel and tossed around like candy. We don’t appreciate them like they did back then, and that’s a shame. We should. Because the Bible IS the most important thing God left for us to have of Him. It’s Him on a plate and knowing the Bible is knowing Him.
Here are a few things the Bible says about itself…
The Bible is the inspired Word of God – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Bible is pure – Psalm 12:6
The Bible is our lamp and lights our way – Psalm 119:105
The Bible is true – John 17:17
The Bible is powerful to save souls – 1 Peter 1:23
The Bible is convicting – Hebrews 4:12
The Bible accomplishes the will of God – Isaiah 55:10-11
The Bible is used by God to open people’s minds about Him and His Word – Luke 24:45
The Bible is prophetic – Luke 24:44
The Bible is our spiritual food – Jeremiah 15:16
The Bible is the Christian’s source of joy – Psalm 119:97 & John 15:11
The Bible is the Christian’s treasure – Psalm 119:72
The Bible is our instruction and our hope – Romans 15:4
The Bible is our confidence – Psalm 56:4
The Bible is our armor, protecting us – Ephesians 6:10-18
…and so much more!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter C – Chosen
Isn’t it great to know that not only does Jesus love us, but He chose us? We do not choose Him, but He, while we are still sinners, chose us! He chose us to love us, to save us, and to sanctify us. His love means all the more to us, knowing that He is the One who chose us.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter D – David
All my Christian life, I hated David. I loathed him. Whenever anyone would speak of him, I rolled my eyes. I never understood how David could do such terrible things and yet still be called the man after God’s own heart.
That is…until I did an in-depth study on David. I listened to over 100 sermons on his life and studied everything the Bible had to say about him, and this is the conclusion I came to.
Tears. David, is my FAVORITE, #1 favorite character in the whole Bible.
So what changed?
David DID do horrible things and the Bathsheba story isn’t the only one either, but consistently, throughout the Bible and his life, he was trying his absolute best to put God first and love God with all his heart.
Did he fail? Yes, miserably. But it’s a great story to show kids that even while we fail (horribly), our God STILL loves us, still is there for us, and we get back up and try again. We get back up and do what is right. We continue to try to be the person God wants us to be and it’s that gut-wrenching soul-thirsting desire of his heart, to be the man of God that God wants him to be, that makes his life and his example to us so beautiful.
If your children are suffering with feeling like they can never be forgiven, that what they’ve done is too bad, too horrific for God to care about them, to save them, David is a great place to start! Wanna do your own study on the life of David? Here’s where I started!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter E – Evil
There is good and there is evil and there is no blending of the lines.
The world will have our children think that evil is good. “Dope” is good, right? “Sick” is good. So drugs are good? Being sick and wicked is good? Really?
Have you seen the Disney movie Descendants? They want us to believe that bad is good and that evil is not AS BAD as we think. It started in the Garden of Eden with Satan, “Did God REALLY say that?” he told Eve. Is God really that bad that He would tell you that you can’t have this apple? That God would WITHHOLD something from you? Will you REALLY die?
It was those lines of good and bad that he first tried to blur and as a result, the entire human race fell, and it’s a game Satan still plays with today!
We must be so very careful to understand right and wrong, good and bad, and declare those lines unapologetically in our lives, in our homes, and with our children.
The subtleness of Satan’s evil is everywhere and we must constantly be on guard for it.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter F – Forgiven
When we come to God and confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Sometimes, it is very difficult for us to forgive ourselves, but not with Christ. He forgives us completely and wholly and remembers them no more! Psalm 103:12
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter G – Grace
Many religions will have us believe we can earn our merit with God. That somehow if we’re “good enough”, He will love us. And that too, leads to the errant thinking that we can also lose our salvation. But let me ask you a question.
As a parent, do you love your child only when they are good to you?
That one question washes away their whole theology. If we, as imperfect beings, can still love our children even when they are bad, how much more will God, who is completely perfect and righteous, love us? Because He is perfect, everything He does is perfect.
No, we are not saved because of our goodness. We are saved because of His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift of God, so that WE cannot boast (I saved myself), but we all come to the throne of Christ in the same way, humble, penitent, broken.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter H – Hell
Hell is not a popular thing to talk about, nor is it fun, but children MUST understand that BECAUSE God is good and righteous and perfect, those who do not hold His standard of perfection go to a literal place we call Hell. However, because of His grace, mercy, and love toward His people, He doesn’t WANT us to go to Hell and so He made a way for us to be with Him, IF we choose it.
That choice, that gift, is salvation, and everyone in the world, has the choice to follow God or to follow their own sinful ways. It is a choice no one else can make for us and there’s only a certain amount of time in which we get to make that choice. Our lives WILL end at some point, and if we have not chosen Jesus Christ, we will end up in Hell. Not because God wants us to, but because WE chose to ignore Him and His precepts.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter I – Israel
In my younger years, anytime a Pastor would begin to mention Israel, I rolled my eyes and immediately thought: disobedience.
They were unworthy, unqualified, undeserving. Sometime later, I heard a Pastor speak about Israel from a different vantage point and it really changed my perspective of Israel.
While they were obstinate, disobedient, difficult people, they were learning.
When we first come to Christ, we are just like them. We are no better, we are obstinate, disobedient, self-focused, and determined to have our own way. It’s hard to suddenly put someone else first when you’ve spent years putting yourself first.
And it’s something we all have to learn at some point in our Christian walks.
The second thing I realized is that even IN their disobedience, their rebellion, their constant doing the wrong thing, God still called them.
I have to admit, I spent many years meditating on WHY would God call them?? He knew they were stubborn, why not choose different people, and yet, like a Good Shepherd, He chose them to be His holy people, to be His ambassadors to the world for His name’s sake.
Think about this. God doesn’t choose the perfect. He chooses the failures of this world. The orphans, the rejected, the hopeless, the rebels. He calls people like Paul who was killing Christians. He calls Moses, who killed a man and fled for his life. He called David, whom He knew would sin with Bathsheba and have her husband killed just so he could cover his own great sin. And He calls me and you.
One reason I think He calls us in our sin is that the transformation is incredible. Pick a perfect person, they stay perfect, where’s the glory to God in that? But if you choose someone like Paul and you see his life just completely transformed into something different, you know there’s no other explanation for it than the Lord Jesus Christ and it ultimately glorifies God.
He chooses people like Israel because it glorifies Him. He chooses me and you, at least in part, for that same reason, so it’s our goal in life to BE that person He wants us to be, so that we glorify Him. 😊
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter J – Joy
I have had great wealth and poverty. I have had middle-class status. I have had a husband and have had none. I have had family and no family. I have had friends and no friends for a season. I have had many things in life, all the joys, successes, and notarieties that most people dream of, but I tell you the truth, there is NO greater joy than that of my loving Father.
All the wealth, all the pleasures, all the joys that this world has to offer, is only a drop of water in the bucket of the joy that comes through Jesus Christ alone. His Word, I meditate on it day and night. It is my greatest sense of joy to learn about Him, follow Him at all costs, and be willing to die for Him should He ask me to. The love of the Father and His love for me, and that relationship bound together through all of eternity (Him choosing me from before the foundations of the earth, to the day I meet Him in Heaven, and beyond), nothing can compare to that. Nothing.
Again, I say NOTHING. He alone is my greatest joy and the only “thing” that I truly NEED to be happy.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter K – Kindness
Because God is perfect, He is kind, and His kindness is perfect too. I am convinced that as I travel this world and meet more and more people, the biggest and best character traits to have in this world are kindness and compassion.
Without them, I see people miserable, with no hope in sight. The people who have kindness written in their eyes and compassion in their hearts are the most wholesome, most joyful people I come across.
We truly serve a God who is kind, compassionate, and in the next letter (L): loving.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter L – Love
The world does not understand what love is and apart from Christ, neither can we. Love is doing what’s best for the other person (Romans 8:28), even if it means YOU suffer greatly for it. Love is dying for the other person (Matthew 27:45-54). It’s showing compassion, kindness, and restraint of any harsh words. It is unmerited favor bestowed on the other person (Romans 6:23), meaning, they do nothing to earn that love, you just love them, freely and generously.
The more we get to know Jesus Christ, the more we get to know what HIS love truly is!!!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter M – Miracle
You wanna know the difference between a child and an adult?
It’s not selfishness. Children and adults are equally selfish.
Maybe you think it’s obedience. Adults obey better than children, but that’s not true. Prisons are full of adults who don’t obey the law, and there are just as many adults who don’t obey God as there are children who don’t obey God.
No. The difference is that children still believe in miracles.
Our society, our co-workers, our friends, and the world at large are in an utterly hopeless state. They are so negative, feeling like everything is doom and gloom. Where are the Pollyanna’s in the world right now? Where is the hope, the comfort, the love, the compassion, the peace, the joy?
Somewhere along the way, adults are conditioned, little by little to stop believing in the power and strength of God, in His miracles.
The child is full of wonder and awe and believes in miracles. They believe anything is possible.
We must, as parents, as Sunday school teachers, and as leaders of the church, encourage our little ones in the hope and miracles of God. We must teach them that miracles weren’t just in the Bible, but they are relevant today and that yes, God does miracles even today!
If you don’t believe that, the problem is not the child, it’s you. Begin by making a list of all the miracles in your life and other’s lives that you’ve seen over the years. Things that have happened that have no other explanation but that God did it. Keep that list handy and write in it whenever you see a miracle.
I’ll start. Right now, I live in a homeless shelter and all is lost. Yet, by the power of our gracious Heavenly Father, I’m allowed (in the homeless shelter) to still write articles and work on my blog! Miracle #1. Miracle #2 – I still want to! I haven’t lost hope, I’m still going, still writing, and still serving you. That is a miracle. It’s the redemptive work of Christ not only in my life but in yours. You reading this post is a miracle. Because without God, I would not have been able to write it!!! ❤️
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter N – Narrow Gate
When I was 8 years old, I gave my life to God. I got baptized and believed I was saved. Later on in my life, in my early 20’s, I regave my life to God, got baptized yet again, and thought I was saved…again.
But tragedy struck and I realized that I was never really saved at all. I just thought I was. Desperate to know how to become saved FOR REAL this time, I learned that confessing Jesus with our lips and trying to live a “good life” isn’t really enough.
It’s about putting HIM as Lord and Savior of our lives, letting HIM drive the car, as it were, instead of me trying to drive the car (be in control of everything) and “letting” Him tag along.
Accepting Christ into our lives is about letting Him control everything and being willing to do whatever He asks us to do, even though painful.
Today, I’m writing these words from a homeless shelter. I have nothing. And while it is NOT pleasant and I do not know God’s plan, I do know that He’s got one.
Secondly, I know that if this is where He wants me to be, then I’ll be here and there’s a reason. I’m willing to die for Him, willing to follow Him ANYWHERE. I know that I’m saved.
The Bible talks about wide and narrow gates (Matthew 7:13-14), and how many people believe (like I did), that I was saved but wasn’t really. Now that I genuinely am a believer, I know I am. There’s a confidence there. I have no doubts. I know that I’m willing to follow Him to death.
Kids need to understand that many people who profess to be saved aren’t. Because children are confused. They see an adult say they’re Christian and live in a very different way than the Bible calls us to live, and so they don’t understand it and think that God is the problem and not the person. This confuses their own salvation and it’s important to show them that there ARE wide and narrow gates. To be saved, we must be on the narrow path.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter O – Obey
Trying to teach a child (or anyone) to obey is REALLY tough. There are some times in our own lives, if we are honest with ourselves, where we do not want to obey and so we can understand, from a child’s point of view, it’s very difficult for them to obey as well.
The main thing to stress to children is that we obey the Lord out of a love for Him (John 14:15). He’s not FORCING us to obey. He calls us to obey; He asks us to obey, but He never forces us. We obey Him because we love Him. We desire to obey Him because we want to please Him. It’s out of a thankful heart for all He’s done for us.
Getting to the root of WHY we obey the Lord is important in a child’s heart and mind. Otherwise, they just see God as another authority figure who is just putting some rules and regulations on them, trying to counteract their fun in life. They mustn’t see Him like that. He is our Heavenly Father, perfect in every way, not demanding or creating us all to be robots, forcing us to do His will, but lovingly guiding us, gently prodding us along the path to sanctify and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter P – Promises
God’s Word is not just about following a bunch of prescribed laws and regulations. There’s peace, hope, and promises in His Word too!
While there are MANY promises in the Bible, too many to recount, here are a few of my favs. 😊
Here are a few promises in the Bible…
When we seek God, we will surely find Him – Deuteronomy 4:29
He will not allow you to suffer beyond what you can bear – 1 Corinthians 10:13
We are blessed when we act godly – Psalm 1:1
He gives us strength – Isaiah 40:29
His unfailing love will never leave us – Isaiah 54:10
He will give us peace – John 14:27
To give us hope and a good future – Jeremiah 29:11
You will be free – John 8:36
That no matter how things seem, He will work out all things to our good – Romans 8:28
Bless us financially when we give – Malachi 3:10
He comforts us – Psalm 23:4
He will line up your desires to His – Psalm 37:4
He is our refuge – Psalm 9:9-10
New life in Christ, the old is gone – 2 Corinthians 1:3
He will fight for us – Exodus 14:14
He will finish the work He started in us – Philippians 1:6
Peace when we pray and ask Him – Philippians 4:6-7
He will prepare a way for us – Isaiah 40:3
He will meet all our needs – Matthew 6:33
He will make your paths straight – Psalm 3:5-6
He gives wisdom, liberally – James 1:5
He will give you rest – Matthew 11:28-30
He will return for us – John 14:2-3
He will forgive us – 1 John 1:9
He is with us, no matter what – Isaiah 41:10
He will lead us and guide us – Psalm 32:8
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter Q – Queen
We so often hear about God’s little princesses. As a little girl, if she is saved, she is a princess. But God doesn’t JUST call princesses. Sometimes He calls queens. We see that in the life of Esther.
Sometimes telling a little girl she’s a princess, is setting her up to be average. We really have to think about the words we use with kids and show them that God wants us all to reach our full potential in Him and for some little girls, that won’t BE princesses. It’ll be queens. For little boys, same thing, for some, it’ll be kings.
I never imagined that God would desire to use ME. A nobody the world rejected. Someone my own husband rejected. Physically, spiritually, and emotionally abused by my mom. Abused by so many others. An orphan now that my parents are deceased. And yet, He did. He chose ME to lead people online (and in person).
We need to teach that God’s plans for us are bigger than WE think they will be. I really don’t think David thought about being king there as a little shepherd boy when none of his brave, strong brothers would fight the Philistines (Goliath). And yet, God used that little boy to become his king, and from him, Samuel came, Ruth came (Ruth most likely being the Proverbs 31 woman), and yes, even Jesus Christ coming from the lineage of David.
Just a boy at the time, who would’ve thought it? 😊 And yet…God knew.
We aren’t born to be average. We’re born to shine our light on a hill, to lead others to Christ, to encourage, equip, and edify the saints. We’re called for more than princesses and princes.
We’re called to lead. I’m not saying women should lead men within the church walls or become Pastors or something, but women ARE called to lead, just like men are. We lead our families, our children, in Sunday school, on blogs, our friends, younger women, and so on.
We’re not princesses. We are strong queens the Lord has called for His purposes and to do His good will.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter R – Righteous
Every day in our lives we have the choice to live a righteous life or a life that pleases US the most. We can sell out, we can do deceitful things, we can lie, or shade the truth. The temptation is always there and every day is a choice that presents itself before us.
Living righteously means choosing to do good, even when it’s painful. Sometimes it will require sacrifice to do what’s right and sometimes, we won’t want to DO what’s right.
We must always choose our absolute best to be righteous. To live a holy and blameless life, set apart for the Lord. Will we fail? Of course. We’re all human, we’re all sinners, and we all fail from time to time, but when we fail, we must get back up, dust ourselves off, and try again.
Every day if you seek to be righteous, to be holy, to do what is good in the sight of the Lord, you will grow toward maturity and righteousness and this pleases God! 😊
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter S – Saved
There is no way around it…we’re either saved or we’re not. Sometimes we think we’re saved, but we’re really not, so it’s very important to know where we REALLY stand before the Lord.
Going to church, saying we believe in God, or even doing good works doesn’t save us. It’s about putting GOD on display in our lives, choosing Him over ourselves, and living our lives as a drink offering to Him, a sacrifice pleasing to Him.
It’s about putting Him as Lord and King in our lives and being dedicated to doing whatever it is that He wants us to do, no matter how great the cost.
In the end, I promise you, it IS worth it! God is so pure and lovely. He is very much worthy to worship, very much worthy to praise, very much worthy to die for! ❤️ Not that He is asking us to die for Him, but that we should be willing!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter T – Truth
When I was a little girl, I was not saved, and I would lie…a lot. There came a point in my life, where I decided I wanted to stop lying. It was an unbreakable commitment to myself to live a truthful life with all those around me, regardless of the cost.
As I was tested more and more, I stopped lying and chose truth. My life changed as a result. People started to trust me, people believed me, and it was a great feeling.
God is not like that. He has never lied, nor will He ever lie. He is, always has been, and always will be completely truthful and everything He says, we can trust!
Knowing that we can trust God, we can place our entire lives in the palm of His hands, knowing that He loves us, will shepherd and guide us, and sanctify us to become ambassadors of Him to the world that He can be proud of. God…is a God of truth! John 14:6.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter U – Unity
One of my favorite things about Christianity is that once we are in the family of God, we are all a family. We are in unity. While we may differ in personality and in little specific things we believe, we have an overall view of the Lord and are dedicated to serving Him and growing as a believer in our walks with Him. That peace, that unity that comes from being grafted into the Lord’s family is beautiful and something to be treasured!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter V – Vineyard
This is my personal favorite! When the Israelites disobeyed and didn’t take the Promised Land when God first gave it to them, they walked around in the desert for 40 years. When they finally got to the Promised Land, after going through all that discipline, training, and learning, you’d think God would give them an abundance. Crops falling from the sky and the land so beautiful it never needs work to grow.
While what God gave them WAS good, so often it’s not at all what we’d think it was.
It was sections of land, like stairs. So that one strip of land is on the corner of another piece of land, all the way up the mountain. I’m reliant on you keeping your land up and the stones in place to hold up my land. One good rain storm and if YOU don’t have YOUR land taken care of, then mine gets washed out along with yours.
Some sections (rows) of land had olive trees, others had fig trees so that no two pieces of land were the same.
You see very clearly how the Israelites had to work in communities with their fellow brothers and sisters. They had to trade. I’ll give you some olives if you give me some figs and vice versa.
It wasn’t this sort of “retirement plan” they received. They had to work it, they had to continue to share, they had to continue to work together.
Throughout the Bible we see God giving His children good things, wonderful things, but most of the time it’s not $5 billion dollar homes. It’s just enough and plenty. It’s plenty but not extravagant and I think that many people think that the Promised Land was extravagant. It wasn’t. It was plenty, but it was not a ton of abundance and excess.
They went through all those 40 years so God could teach them to not be afraid of what He wanted to give them all along, but He didn’t add to their abundance. They didn’t “earn more” by being in the wilderness for those extra 40 years. Those extra 40 years were because of their own sin.
From God, we can expect He will care for us and take good care of us, but we cannot expect mansions and billions of dollars in our bank accounts, unless we are say, feeding orphans and using it for His purposes, He may bless us with that kind of abundance as we are stewards (filters, strainers, if you will) toward others.
Because riches here on earth isn’t what matters. Not to God and it shouldn’t matter to us either. What matters is hearts, souls, people. That’s what matters most to God: people. That’s what should matter most to us as well. ❤️
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter W – Worship
Did you know that everything we do is worshipping SOMEthing? Worship isn’t just for Sundays; we worship throughout the week too! We worship God when we read the Bible or sing a Christian song. We worship when we find our joy in the Lord. We were created to worship and are constantly worshipping.
Some people worship other things. Money, status, prestige, themselves. We must always make sure that our hearts are worshipping the true and living God at all times and not other devices or idols.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter X – eXalt
It’s really difficult to find an X, in keeping with the theme of the alphabet as a Bible word, so let’s go with eXalt. 😊 Exalting in someone is to respect them. To hold them in very high regard. God is SO worthy of our high regard and respect. He is SO very good to us. We need not look far to see His wonderful praises, treasures, and good things He’s given us each and every day. For this reason, we exalt in Him.
Because He made us, because He loves us, because He created us for a good purpose, because He’s our Father, because He’s done so many amazing things for us, we exalt in Him. Truly there is no one better in all the earth than God…and you get to call Him Father! How cool is that?! YAY!
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter Y – Yoke
Matthew 11:28-30 talks about how God’s yoke is easy and light. He doesn’t require a list of dos and don’ts from us. He only wants us to be loyal to Him and grow in our spirituality as much as humanly possible. If we fail, it’s okay, as long as we are trying our absolute best. He loves us and cares for us and has a great plan for us. He wants to work WITH us, not against us, as a team.
ABC’s of Christianity: The Letter Z – Zion
Zion is special to God and has a few different meanings within the Bible. It’s mentioned over 150 times so let’s take a look at a few instances of them…
Zion is the place in Jerusalem where God lives – Jeremiah 31:6; Isaiah 40:9
The Hebrew word Zion means a sign or a landmark
It is synonymous with the city of God, a place He loves – Psalm 87:2-3
Zion refers to the people of God (Israel) – Isaiah 60:14; Zechariah 9:13
It refers to Christ, the cornerstone – 1 Peter 2:6
It refers to the city of David as Zion – 2 Samuel 5:7
I hope that these truths can be used to teach your little ones about God in a fun, new, and exciting way!!!
The DeepSeek AI chatbot, released by a Chinese startup, has temporarily dethroned OpenAI’s ChatGPT from the top spot on Apple’s US App Store.
The app is completely free to use, and DeepSeek’s R1 model is powerful enough to be comparable to OpenAI’s o1 “reasoning” model, except DeepSeek’s chatbot is not sequestered behind a $20-a-month paywall like OpenAI’s is. Also, the DeepSeek model was efficiently trained using less powerful AI chips, making it a benchmark of innovative engineering.
I’ve tested many new generative AI tools over the past couple of years, so I was curious to see how DeepSeek compares to the ChatGPT app already on my smartphone. After a few hours of using it, my initial impressions are that DeepSeek’s R1 model will be a major disruptor for US-based AI companies, but it still suffers from the weaknesses common to other generative AI tools, like rampant hallucinations, invasive moderation, and questionably scraped material.
How to Access the DeepSeek Chatbot
Users interested in trying out DeepSeek can access the R1 model through the Chinese startup’s smartphone apps (Android, Apple), as well as on the company’s desktop website. You can also use the model through third-party services like Perplexity Pro. In the app or on the website, click on the DeepThink (R1) button to use the best model. Developers who want to experiment with the API can check out that platform online. It’s also possible to download a DeepSeek model to run locally on your computer.
In order to use all the consumer features, you will need to create a user account that tracks your chats. “We store the information we collect in secure servers located in the People’s Republic of China,” reads the company’s privacy policy. Check out this article from WIRED’s Security desk for a more detailed breakdown about what DeepSeek does with the data it collects. It’s worth keeping in mind that, just like ChatGPT and other American chatbots, you should always avoid sharing highly personal details or sensitive information during your interactions with a generative AI tool.
Is This Basically FreeGPT?
Yes and no! If you’re looking for a free chatbot to use, ChatGPT already includes plenty of free features. So does Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and Meta’s AI tool. So, why is the fact that DeepSeek is free notable? It’s about the raw power of the model that’s generating these free-for-now answers. As previously mentioned, DeepSeek’s R1 mimics OpenAI’s latest o1 model, without the $20-a-month subscription fee for the basic version and $200-a-month for the most capable model. This comes as a major blow to OpenAI’s attempt to monetize ChatGPT through subscriptions.
Another feature that’s similar to ChatGPT is the option to send the chatbot out into the web to gather links that inform its answers. DeepSeek does not have deals with publishers to use their content in answers; OpenAI does , including with WIRED’s parent company, Condé Nast. But the web search outputs were decent, and the links gathered by the bot were generally helpful.
Still, the current DeepSeek app does not have all the tools longtime ChatGPT users may be accustomed to, like the memory feature that recalls details from past conversations so you’re not always repeating yourself. DeepSeek also doesn’t have anything close to ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, which lets you have voice conversations with the chatbot, though the startup is working on more multimodal capabilities.
A Research Breakthrough, but Still Inaccurate
Though it may almost seem unfair to knock the DeepSeek chatbot for issues common across AI startups, it’s worth dwelling on how a breakthrough in model training efficiency does not even come close to solving the roadblock of hallucinations, where a chatbot just makes things up in its responses to prompts. Many of the outputs I generated included blatant falsehoods, confidently spewed out. For example, when I asked R1 what the model already knew about me without searching the web, the bot was convinced I’m a longtime tech reporter at The Verge. No shade, but not true!
