We’ve had an amazing year on MARKED with so many unforgettable moments. Kelly and Elizabeth, along with Erin, our producer, and Caleb, our audio editor, reflect on conversations with our guests that we’re still talking about. Listen in to key clips we pulled from episodes in 2023 as we discuss how these conversations have “marked” us!

FULL EPISODES MENTIONED:

Richard Blackaby

Rebecca McLaughlin

Dean Inserra

When You Pray | Jackie Hill Perry and Jen Wilkin

Amy-Jo Girardier on Reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha

Vaneetha Risner

Chelsea Sobolik

LWA: Christy Thornton on Theology

Irene Sun on Understanding Hebrew Poetry

Lifeway Women Academy Miniseries on YouTube

RESOURCES:

When You Pray Bible study

MARKED is a podcast from Lifeway Women: 
https://women.lifeway.com/blog/podcasts/.

Hosted by Kelly King and Elizabeth Hyndman.

RECOMMENDED: Go back to the beginning of the year and listen to Kelly and Elizabeth ring in 2023! They discuss their goals, habits, ideas, and more for the year.

The post MARKED | Conversations We’re Still Talking About appeared first on Lifeway Women.

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Erin Franklin, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

For most of human history, recreational swimming was done naked. (Non-recreational swimming was done in whatever you were wearing when you fell in, because it beat the heck out of drowning.)

Purpose-designed swimwear started out as a modesty garment first, and a practical garment very much second. Early swimsuits were made from knit wool, and in the case of women's swimwear included long skirts, weighted down at the hem to keep the water from lifting them up.

Suits were strictest in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when both men and women were prohibited by law and custom from going bare-chested in public. One-piece suits with cutoff sleeves and legs were a common style.

In the 50s and 60s, men actually organized protests arguing for the right to go topless. Many were cited for public indecency until the laws finally changed. (Women are undergoing a very similar struggle right now.)

From that point on, swimsuits were more about function than modesty. Specialty suits began to evolve in the 60s and onward, leading up to today's world of wetsuits, drysuits, racing wear, drag suits for training, and more.

Different Types and Styles of Modern Swimwear

Contemporary swimsuits can serve both decorative and practical functions. Most strive for both. Swimsuits are usually categorized by the length and looseness of their cut:

• Trunks are the most common men's swimwear in North America. They look similar to shorts worn as clothing on land, but are made from light, fast-drying materials (usually nylon or polyester) and feature a tighter-fitting lining inside the shorts. Longer versions that come past the knee are sometimes called boardshorts.
• Swim briefs are often called “speedos,” a trademarked brand that has been popular for many years. They are tight, body-hugging swimsuits with a V-shaped front that bares the thighs. Recreational swim briefs typically feature an interior lining.
• Square-cut shorts are a body-hugging style that covers the wearer from the waist to the upper thigh. The leg openings are cut straight across the thigh for a boxy look that is slightly less revealing than angled swim briefs.
• Jammers are knee-length, skintight suits used by competitive swimmers and other watersports participants to reduce drag. They resemble bike shorts, but without the padded crotch and seat.
• Racing suits are tight, form-fitting suits designed to reduce drag by streamlining the body and skin. They come in a number of cuts, baring or covering varying amounts of arm and leg. Modern marketing usually refers to them as “skins,” i.e., bodyskin, legskin, kneeskin, etc.
• Wetsuits and drysuits are insulated suits designed for prolonged immersion, usually in the context of snorkeling, scuba diving, or board sports. They are quite close-fitting.
• Rash guards are a looser form of all-body swimwear than a wetsuit, and are generally used by watersports participants such as surfers, kayakers, and paddleboarders. Most are made from a UV-reflective fabric with a UPF rating.
• Swim shirts are an upper-body-only version of a rash guard, and are gaining popularity as a sun and surf protection option for casual bathers.
• Thongs are small briefs designed to expose the buttocks. Many cultures traditionally use thong-style swimwear for men, such as the Japanese fundoshi, but in contemporary Western culture thongs are predominantly marketed toward women. Men can and do wear them, however.

All of the above styles can come in nearly any color or pattern imaginable, provided one is willing to shop around long enough. Traditional colors and patterns for men include solid navy blue, blue-and-white striping, and floral or Hawaiian-style prints.

Buying a Swimsuit

Swimsuits are, relative to a lot of menswear, forgiving garments to shop for. You don't need an absolutely perfect tailored fit, so long as the suit stays up when you dive in (and most have a cord at the waist to help with that).

That doesn't mean you should grab whatever's cheapest off the Wal-Mart shelf and call it a day, though. You're likely to only have one or two swim garments in your wardrobe at a time, so it's worth finding ones you really like.

A couple key steps:

1. Know Your Active Needs

Just how intense are your activities going to be in your swimwear?

A swimsuit for a hotel pool now and then doesn't have a lot of technical requirements. Something to go surfing in for hours at a stretch is another matter.

Think about the following when you're weighing swimsuit options:

• How much leg movement are you going to do? Loose fabric, when wet, can chafe very quickly, so a loose trunk style of shorts isn't great if you plan on walking around in your suit or using your legs for exercise. (Despite the “boardshort” name, pro surfers usually wear snug, tight-fitting swimwear these days.)
• How much actual swimming (as opposed to wading and splashing around) are you going to do? You'll want to reduce drag if you're actually propelling yourself through the water for any length of time, making a tighter fit preferable.
• How much sun protection do you need? For prolonged sun exposure, it's worth considering something that covers the upper body as well as the lower.

As you can see, the basic, short-like trunk style is really only suited for casual users who plan on lying around, wading, and maybe doing a little light swimming. If you're planning on being more sporty than that, a snugger fit and potentially some more body coverage is worth considering.

2. Know the Visual Impression You Want

Who you're going to be wearing your swimsuit around, and what you want from them, plays just as important a role as your activities.

Family vacationers don't have much in the way of stylistic needs. Men who are planning on hitting up beach parties and crowd scenes, perhaps with an eye toward meeting women (or other men) for romance, need to be a little pickier. And businessmen who may end up in the spa or hotel pool with co-workers and business partners have their own special concerns. Ask yourself:

• Are you trying to impress anyone? If not, stop worrying. Wear whatever is comfortable and works for you.
• Are you trying to look professional? Conservative (but not exaggerated) length, conventional styles (trunks or square-cuts), and dark, solid colors or restrained stripes are for you. Navy blue with brass-colored grommets and white rope ties are always safe.
• Do you want to look sexy? If so, you'll need a cut that flatters your body type (see below), and a color and pattern that's eye-catching without being ridiculous. Think stripes, plaids, bright solids, or some not-too-crazy floral patterning.

These affect cuts as well as colors and patterns: tight, form-fitting styles look sharp and practical in the longer cuts, but sexualized and only good for showing off your bod in the smaller cuts. Baggier styles look less sexualized, but can also look slumped and casual, like you don't care about your appearance.

3. Be Honest About Your Body

It's the 21st century — if you want to let it all hang out, you're free to, at least as far as the local laws permit it.

That said, some realistic expectations about who wants to see your naked flesh, and how much of it, go a long way. A little self-consciousness is not a bad thing. Be honest:

• Are you a little soft around the middle? If you are, a looser cut will balance things out a bit, and you'll absolutely want to avoid anything with a tight, strongly-elasticized waist opening that's going to dig in to your belly.
• Are your thighs and buttocks toned? If they're not, a tight swimming brief or thong is going to expose a lot of jiggle. Your call on whether you want to do that or not.
• Are you fit, but not interested in getting ogled? Longer, form-fitting styles like jammers or skinsuits are for you: all the streamlining and none of the naked flesh. It desexualizes things a bit.

There are no right or wrong choices here, but you should realistically expect your choices to have some effect on other people. There are going to be visual judgments on whether you look good in shorts, whether you want them or not.
Want more?

The post The Man’s Guide to Swimwear | How To Choose A Proper Swim Suit appeared first on Real Men Real Style.

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Antonio Centeno, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

See you on www.Slikhaarshop.com

IT'S ON! Our CYBER MONDAY SALE is open for business. Get the best deals now. Exceptional discounts + limited package deals + FREE GIFT with all orders according to spend. Don’t wait too long… until supplies run out. Happy shopping 😃👌🏻⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

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Cyber Monday is not only an opportunity to do your Christmas shopping but it is also the perfect time to update your every day home technology, indulge in premium name brands and make huge savings.

Samsung has captured my attention with incredible discounts across their categories on mobile, home appliances, monitors, storage, and TVs.

Let’s take a closer look at some of my Savvy picks for what I am calling Go Big and Save Big!

Home Entertainment

Samsung is offering a massive $5,000 off the recently released 98″ Neo QLED 4K QN90A Smart TV. This cutting-edge TV delivers stunning visuals and an immersive viewing experience. with 98″ screen no wonder it feels immersive.

98′ too big, how about 77″ OLED 4K S90C Smart TV and save $1,800

Home Appliances

Samsung have premium home appliances and now is the time to save $200 on the 8.5kg BubbleWash Front Load Smart Washer with Steam Wash Cycle, and $550 on the 8kg Heat Pump Smart Dryer.

Where to Shop

Samsung retail partners including The Good Guys, JB Hi Fi, and Harvey Norman. If you’re looking for monitors and storage, make sure to check out deals from Officeworks and resellers like MWAVE, Scorptec, and UMART.

Remember, these deals are hot and won’t last forever. Most of them will be ending on November 27th.

Don’t miss out on these savings and make your holiday season even more special with premium tech.

The post Premium Cyber Monday Big Deals Massive Savings appeared first on Women Love Tech.

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Jo Munro, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Over the weekend, Shopify merchants set a Black Friday record with a combined $4.1 billion in sales. A strong start to the biggest holiday shopping weekend of the year. Here are five other fascinating Black Friday facts that we found out about the weekend (… which our own shopping expert Jo Munro explains has actually turned into an entire month!) 

Record-breaking deals Down Under

In Australia, Shopify merchants witnessed a Black Friday peak sales hour at 10 AM AEST on November 24, reflecting the country’s eagerness to snag the best deals early in the day. The top-selling cities Down Under were Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, with an average cart price of $165.70. Notably, 73% of sales were made through mobile devices, and the top five product categories by orders included clothing, personal care, kitchen & dining, shoes, and jewellery.

A surge in global sales

On a global scale, Shopify merchants kicked off Black Friday with a bang, generating a staggering $4.1 billion USD in total sales – an impressive 22% increase from the previous year. The peak sales per minute reached an astounding $4.2 million at 12:01 PM EST, illustrating the frenzied pace of online shopping worldwide.

International insights

The top-selling countries globally were the USA, UK, and Canada. While Los Angeles, New York, and London emerged as the top-selling cities. The average global cart price stood at $110.71 USD, and mobile sales dominated the landscape, accounting for 75% of transactions. A notable 15% of orders were cross-border, reflecting the interconnected nature of Black Friday shopping on a global scale.

The POV on POS

In both Australia and globally, Shopify merchants experienced a substantial increase in Point of Sale (POS) sales. In Australia, POS sales grew by 27% since Black Friday last year, while globally, there was a remarkable 33% increase. This shift suggests a growing preference for in-person shopping experiences facilitated by Shopify merchants.

What did shoppers add to cart?

Finally, Shopify President Harley Finkelstein highlighted some of the top trending products across the platform. Notable mentions include SKIMS’ Cotton Rib Tank, Brooklinen’s Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set, and SNOCKS’ Boxer Shorts. These products captured the attention and wallets of enthusiastic Black Friday shoppers.

The post Five Super Interesting Black Friday Facts we Just Had to Share appeared first on Women Love Tech.

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Marie-Antoinette Issa, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

When it comes to bagging a bargain (like the Dyson Airwrap that you can currently score for $450 less on its official site), the sale season is in full swing. In fact, a recent survey by NordVPN revealed that 41% of Australian shoppers plan to participate in online sales events, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas sales. However, unfortunately, among the irresistible online deals, the cybersecurity experts also shared that approximately three million Australians will fall victim to Cyber Monday shopping scams.
(Today’s installment of the online retail extravaganza that has seen “Black Friday turned into a month” according to Women Love Tech’s shopping expert Jo Munro.)

The study indicated that this was a 7% increase in online shopping scams compared to the previous year, affecting nearly 33% of Australians.

According to Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, “We have seen in the past that cybercriminals become very active during the shopping season, so 11 million Aussies who plan to take advantage of the deals this year should better be on guard. The main thing we encourage people to remember this shopping season is if the offer looks too good to be true or a lot of personal information is requested for you to get a deal –  you are probably being scammed.”

To protect yourself from falling victim to online shopping scams this year, NordVPN’s cybersecurity experts recommend the following precautions:

Limit the amount of information you share

One of the most important tools to help you avoid Cyber Monday shopping scams is to provide only the necessary information required for the transaction, and be cautious if excessive personal data is requested. An important point given that the survey also revealed that a staggering 90% of Australians are willing to share personal information to secure a bonus gift, discount, or free service!

Understand your URLs

Double-check the website’s URL to ensure authenticity. Small variations can lead to malicious websites designed to capture sensitive information. Similarly, avoid clicking on shortened URLs and manually enter the website address to verify the legitimacy of the deal.

Public wifi and protective tools

Refrain from shopping on public Wi-Fi networks, as they often lack security. If necessary, use a VPN to encrypt your connection and protect your data. Even if you are on your own device, it’s important to leverage tools like NordVPN’s Threat Protection to identify suspicious websites and protect against potential scams.

Statement spotting

Regularly check your bank statements to identify any unauthorised transactions quickly. Additionally, Warmenhoven recommends using a virtual credit card for extra security, allowing individuals to shop online without revealing their real credit card details. If you do you encounter a scam or suspicious activity, report it to the relevant authorities. In Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) operates the Scamwatch website, where you can report scams and find information about the latest scams affecting Australians.

The post Four Tips to Help you Avoid Cyber Monday Shopping Scams appeared first on Women Love Tech.

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