Banquet With The King

Daily Devotional focusing on spiritual "food" at the King's Banquet Table. In 2024 this blog will explore verses to meditate on as we examine our "choices" daily, pursuing a deeper relationship with God as we grow in Christian maturity. This web page has had over 195,000 page views by people in over 133 different countries who are seeking God through His Word. God has promised if you seek Him, you will find Him. May you be blessed reading Banquet With The King.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Joyful Are Those Who Obey His Laws and Search for Him with All Their Hearts.

Prayer – Lord, as I look at all the verses in Psalm 119, I am reminded of the joy and blessing that You give to those who follow Your commandments. Your path leads to happiness. Although there is more to life than just being happy, it is certainly something for which to strive. Give me understanding of Your instructions so that I can obey them. Open my eyes to see Your path ahead of me and may I walk on that path, bringing others with me to show them the joy that You alone offer. Thank you for Your love and guidance.

Following Jesus' command--
Go and make disciples...and baptize them.
Baptism in the Jordan River, Israel

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. ...How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. ... Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. ... Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. ... How I delight in your commands! How I love them! I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:1-3, 9, 34-40, 43-44, 47-48 So many verses…so little time and space. Please read Psalm 119:1-48 for yourself in your preferred translation.

Meditate. Consider what path you are walking on through life.

For the next four days we’ll be looking at Psalm 119—the longest chapter in the Bible. It is so rich with God’s promises and love, providing wisdom to those who read it. It is another Psalm that was done as an acrostic, beginning each section with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each verse with that same letter. We lose that aspect of this in the translation into English. The message is the same as God intended…just not as powerful with that type of prose. Enjoy the Psalm as you search for God’s path for your life.

This psalmist was excited about keeping God’s commandments and obeying His instructions. He was eager to celebrate, obey, and practice them in such a way as to honor God—even being concerned about purity in youth. Obedience is the key. Consider how obedient Jesus was—even unto death. Jesus wants us to walk on that same path of obedience—although He died and shed His blood for us, so we don’t have to do that. His blood covers our sin—wipes it away—and we are clean as fresh fallen snow. It is winter…and we are seeing evidence of that purity in new snow.

Jesus challenged His followers to consider which was more important to them…money or God, so I liked what the psalmist wrote about this. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Money can be so important at this time of the year when people are wanting to purchase the perfect gift for each of their loved ones—but that is not the reason for the season. Life with Jesus is the important thing…especially during this time of Advent…of preparing our hearts for Jesus. Jesus’ first Advent was when He was born in Bethlehem. His second Advent will be when He comes with His eternal kingdom. What a glorious day that will be. Be ready. This is where we need understanding. For now…we just need to obey. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.

Verse of Salvation ~ LORD, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. - Psalm 119:41

Memory Verse of the Week ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24

This one last day is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

Happy Heavenly Birthday Vicki

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

His Faithful Love Endures Forever

Prayer – Lord, I thank You for this day…and all the days that You have made. I rejoice in knowing that You are present in my life…and I am present in Yours. You’ve done so much for me—I will graciously serve You forever. I praise You today…and forever.

Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD's faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! Psalm 117:1-2

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Let all Israel repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let Aaron's descendants, the priests, repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let all who fear the LORD repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? ... This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:1-6, 24-29 (Read all of Psalm 118.)

Meditate. Be thankful always.

Repeat that over and over in your head today…Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Yes. God is faithful to us. He keeps His word. One verse from this passage is my husband’s favorite…and we quote it often. This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Even on gray days like today, we can still praise the Lord. He created us to give Him glory, praise, and honor—and that is the least we can do.

One thing I know from this Psalm is that since it begins and ends with the with the direction to “Give thanks to the LORD,” we are to do just that—thank God because His faithful love endures forever. We don’t ever have to wonder IF God loves us, because He assures us that He does. He loves us so much that He gave up His one and only Son—allowed Him to come down to earth from His glorious Heavenly home—to live a mundane human existence in a dusty, evil world filled with antagonistic Pharisees and doubters. God still loves us all so much. Jesus died on a cross, as a sacrificial offering for the sins of mankind—absolving us from all sin IF we repent of that sin and accept the gift of His sacrifice. He redeemed us from an eternal damnation. Those who never repent will face an eternity in a lake of fire—apart from the very God who created them. Those who believe and repent will forever live with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who seek to know Jesus more fully, faithfully follow and serve Him will be rewarded with a lifetime in the New Heaven. That sounds good to me. Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD. The LORD is God, shining upon us. Jesus is the Light of the world.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." John 8:12

Let His light shine in and through you. Thank and praise Him. His faithful love endures forever.

Verse of Salvation ~ "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17

Memory Verse of the Week ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24

It is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, November 28, 2022

Has The Lord Been Good to You?

Prayer – I love You, Lord…with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my might and strength. To love someone, you must know them—so show me more of Yourself today, Lord, that I may know and love You more. I praise You and thank You.

God doesn't come as a snake or...
as an alligator to devour us.
He comes as our Savior,
protector, merciful, and loving God.

Painting by Zander Shultz

I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "Please, LORD, save me!" How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the LORD's presence as I live here on earth! I believed in you, so I said, "I am deeply troubled, LORD." In my anxiety I cried out to you, "These people are all liars!" What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the LORD's name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the LORD in the presence of all his people. The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die. O LORD, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people—in the house of the LORD in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! Psalm 116:1-19

Meditate. Consider God’s love.

From somewhere in my early childhood, I hear my Mom’s voice saying, “God is love.” That is right out of 1 John 4:7-8. I hope that my kids hear the same teaching…or a song with those words…and my voice. God is love. Do you recall this as the Verse of the Week, last week?

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. - 1 John 4:7-8 KJV

Jesus was adamant and encouraging about people loving God and each other…their neighbor. Remember that when He was asked about the greatest commandment, He responded with the wise advice, love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Love God.

As this psalmist wrote…I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because…He bends down—comes close to me—to hear my prayers. He is kind, merciful, good, protective. He is my savior. Most of all…I love the Lord because He has promised to never abandon me or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5). God keeps His promises (Psalm 145:13).

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. Psalm 145:13

Even though Thanksgiving is over…I continue to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. Do you keep a prayer journal or a thankfulness journal? How about starting one TODAY?! Don’t wait until the New Year, although that would be a good goal for the coming year. A few years ago Ann Voskamp wrote a book “One Thousand Gifts” focusing on giving thanks. She challenged her readers to find three things daily for which to be thankful. It was a good challenge. Can you do that? I’m sure you have an empty notebook—so start today recording your thankfulness. I had an inspiring thought…add your prayer requests and praises to the journal so that you can see how God is working in your life now. Again, as this psalmist wrote… Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been good to me. I can see that the Lord has been good to me…over the last fifty or sixty years, as well as today. Has the Lord been good to you?

Verse of Salvation ~ Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:6-9

Memory Verse of the Week ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24

It is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

The Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV), 1611, 1769.

Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. Within the United Kingdom, the rights to the KJV are vested in the Crown.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day -

Daily Devotional for Building Character

Are you letting God the Father and the Holy Spirit mold you into the image of Jesus?

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Who do you serve...God or Money?

Matthew 6:24

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Prayer – Lord, to You be the glory and honor. You are the source of everything we have—everything we want—everything we give to others. Yes, are a living God—not an idol. To You be the glory, honor, and praise, now and forever more.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. Why let the nations say, "Where is their God?" Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes. Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. O Israel, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the LORD, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield. The LORD remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the LORD, both great and lowly. May the LORD richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the LORD, but he has given the earth to all humanity. The dead cannot sing praises to the LORD, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. But we can praise the LORD both now and forever! Praise the LORD! Psalm 115:1-18

Meditate. Trust the Lord!

Everything we have is from God.

My cup overflows with blessings!

Psalm 23:5

Everything we have comes from God—everything belongs to Him. Do you realize that? I think we get a little self-righteous sometime thinking that our stuff is ours…and the gifts we give have come from us, but in reality, it is all God’s. Ezra wrote about King David and the gathering of the materials to build the Temple. David obtained—God provided—everything that was needed to build the Temple, but it was Solomon, David’s son, who was king and in charge of actually building the Temple for God. David recognized that everything comes from God and he thanked God and praised His name.

Then David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly: "O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. "O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. "O LORD our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! 1 Chronicles 29:10-16

This passage in the Psalm of today emphasizes that God will bless those who respect the Lord. Trust Him. Just as David wrote in this Psalm, May the LORD richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the LORD, but he has given the earth to all humanity. How wonderful to be blessed by the Lord—the powerful and loving God who created heaven, earth, and all that is within it…as well as you and me. Praise the LORD! Tell others about this wonderful God of ours…and give credit where credit is due.

Verse of Salvation ~ (From Jacob’s last words in his blessings on his sons.) I trust in you for salvation, O LORD! Genesis 49:18

It is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Praise and Bless the Name of the LORD Now and Forever

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I praise Your name—I praise You—Your very being. May all the world see You for who You are—King of kings, Lord of lords, Son of the Almighty God the Father. You are above all—beautiful and victorious. No one can compare with You. Thank you for being my Savior…for being the Savior of the world. Keep the eyes of my heart focused on You, for You are worthy of praise.

Glory to God for His creation.
Praise His Holy name.

Zion National Park - Utah

Praise the LORD! Yes, give praise, O servants of the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD now and forever. Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the LORD. For the LORD is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the LORD our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother. Praise the LORD! Psalm 113:1-9

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—the land of Judah became God's sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom. The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What's wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. Psalm 114:1-8

Meditate. Praise God from whom all blessing flow.

Praise. That is the highest form of adoration, in my thoughts. In the Lexicon of the Blue Letter Bible, online, there are many words that are used to describe praise. Glory given to God is a good description of the feeling of praise, as is “to be clear, or brilliant,” but it is interesting to note that praise is not just for God. Throughout the Bible it is used with other people, even Sarah in the book of Genesis when she was taken into Pharoah’s palace. Think about how we praise others every day. I praise my grandchildren for their art, music, science and math accomplishments—as well as my kids for their good parenting. We recognize lots of “well done” actions cheering on friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and even complete strangers. But the deepest praise that Christians give is the adoration of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Praise from non-Christians maybe limited to favorite sports teams, friends, coworkers, and family members who have excelled in some way. No praise to God for His wonderful creation, safety, protection, or salvation. Do the non-Christians recognize God at work? There are some who even ask their Christian associates for prayers during stressful times—so there is hope. Hope for their acknowledgement of God’s power and provision, and for their own repentance that leads to salvation.

May the lost of this world be like the Israelites who were rescued from Egypt, crossed safely through the Red Sea and the Jordan River—protected by God who chose them from all the tribes of the world. God has extended His love and provision for salvation to all the world, not just the Jews. So, as it says in 1 John 4:7-8, anyone who loves is a child of God. Are you loving God and loving others? That is just what God wants us to do, as Jesus summed up as the greatest of the commandments when He was asked which was the most important commandment.

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:36-39

Are you loving God and loving others? Can you praise and bless the very name of Jesus now and forever?

Verse of Salvation ~ Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Psalm 96:1-2

Memory Verse of the Week ~ Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Did you memorize this passage?

It is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, November 25, 2022

Light Shines in The Darkness for the Godly

Columbia River Sunset
near Richland, Washington
God's Light shining in the darkness

Prayer – Lord, shine Your light on me, that I may understand You more and thus allow Your light to shine through me to others. You are the Light of the World. Illuminate each of us with Your love, mercy, grace, and peace.

Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted. Psalm 112:1-10

Meditate. Consider God’s mercy.

Is it dark where you are standing or sitting right now? Dark…as at night…or dark spiritually?

Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous...and will be remembered for a long time. Those righteous people are fair to others in their business—not trying to make a quick buck in some evil manner. They aren’t afraid of bad news—they fearlessly trust the Lord to care for them in the good times and the bad, confidently. These righteous ones generously share with those in need and because of their good deeds, they’ll be remembered forever with honor.

How many people do you know who are like that? Personally, I know a few of them…well, actually many over my lifetime. It feels good to have associated with “righteous” people—those known for their honesty, integrity, generosity, and compassion. During this time of the year—Thanksgiving through Christmas, you can easily pick out the righteous people, although they put themselves in the background, giving anonymously of their time and their wealth. Do you want to be like them? They themselves are the light shining in the darkness. It is the light of the love of Jesus that shines through them, illuminating others with their kind and giving ways.

I heard someone the other day mention that we all have trials in our lives. For some those trial come in the form of good times. Good trials—that was a new concept to me. How people react to those “good times” shows how they are walking with the Lord. Do they attribute that goodness to the Lord, or do they get puffed up with self-righteousness? Again, the choice is for each person to react to their circumstances, good or bad. Are you influencing others, who may be in the dark, showing them the true Light of the World? Is that light shining from you into the darkness around you?

Verse of Salvation ~ But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

What is good for a cold…or a cure for most diseases? I keep reading from several sources that a cinnamon and honey mixture is a great cure-all. Honey is found in most countries around the world and has been found to be an effective medicine for all kinds of diseases, without side effects. It can even be used by diabetic patients in the right dosage.

Some of the diseases that honey and cinnamon can be used to control, alleviate, or combat are: heart disease, arthritis, bladder infections, cholesterol, colds, upset stomach, gas, immune system, indigestion, flu, longevity, sore throat, pimples, skin infections, weight loss, cancer, fatigue, bad breath, and hearing loss.

Next Friday I’ll include a chart of the way to combine and use cinnamon and honey in use against these ailments. In the meantime—Google cinnamon and honey and the condition that is troubling you. For now, savor the words of these Proverbs:

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24

My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste. Proverbs 24:13

Do you like honey? Don't eat too much, or it will make you sick! Proverbs 25:16

It is still November – consider today: For what are you Thankful?

Happy Birthday, Andrew! May you always be successful…like your Mom & Dad!

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories