Devotional

Command Silence

In Mark 4:39, we read the incredible account of Jesus calming the storm.  As I was meditating on this verse the specific commands of Jesus came into focus. Jesus spoke two commands with emphasis and authority, ‘Peace!’ and ‘Be still!’ In looking up the original Greek, I was surprised that both are similar and both speak to the same concept. Both are commands of silence:

‘Peace’ is ‘Siōpa’ in Greek, meaning: be silent; be quiet.

‘Be still’ is ‘pephimōso’ in Greek, meaning: silence; put to silence.

Do you remember growing up when a classroom got noisy with chatter and the teacher would yell ‘silence’!  An eerie hush would follow. Obey or face detention or a worse punishment like extra homework.

What can we learn from Jesus’ command you ask?

When Jesus left he gave us His authority on earth. So, when we are faced with storms in life, such as pain, disappointment, frustration or despair, we have His authority to ‘command silence’ over every situation. Oftentimes Satan works to cause these storms. If so, declare silence and he must flee by the authority Jesus has given us:

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬)‬‬

Life often gets noisy if we let it. We can allow the chaos of life to drown out the peace of God when we focus on the noise. Instead, respond like Jesus did. Speak ‘peace, be still’ to silence the noise of life as you exercise your Kingdom authority and live victoriously.

U.S. National Day of Prayer - May 7, 2026

As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Christians are rallying to rededicate our nation back to God through prayer. We encourage you to join in prayer:

Financial Update

The Picks and Shovels of the AI Boom: Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment

When we think of AI, it’s easy for us to associate topics such as “agents, data storage centers, chips, NVIDIA, semiconductor’s” with it.

While narratives such as how much the latest AI company was elevated at (or how many people just got laid off because of AI) own the news headlines, there could be a bigger opportunity that lies beneath the noise. Before NVIDIA or AMD can bring a $40,000 graphics card to market, someone has to sell them a $200 million machine to make it.

That's the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market, and it's quietly becoming one of the most watched plays in tech investing. The market hit $123 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double to $281 billion by 2035. While chip companies rise and fall with product cycles, the equipment makers generate revenue regardless of who wins the chip wars.

Much like the California Gold Rush. Most miners went broke and only a few “struck gold.” But those selling picks, shovels, pans, and other equipment to the miners, they flourished regardless. 

One upside to this sector is that as chips get smaller and more complex, manufacturers need increasingly expensive and specialized equipment. A single EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography machine from ASML costs up to $200 million, and every major chip maker, Intel, Samsung, TSMC, needs multiple units to stay competitive. When the AI boom demands more chips, equipment makers win. When the market cools and companies focus on efficiency, equipment makers still win because upgrading old equipment becomes essential.

ASML (lithography machines), Applied Materials (deposition and etching), and Lam Research (specialized etching equipment) are considered the “Big Three” equipment makers in the industry. ASML has a monopoly on EUV technology; Applied Materials holds 30% market share in deposition. There are semiconductor equipment ETF’s such as SOXX or SMH for instant diversification.

Another way to gain exposure to this asset class is by buying physical commodities that feed semiconductor equipment: high-purity silicon, rare earth elements (for lasers), and industrial gases like neon and krypton. If taking this route, you may want to consider seeking private equity to invest through due to its hands-on demand.

The chip industry will have ups and downs, but with the attention and more importantly, the demand it’s gained over the past decade, it seems to be a topic to keep on your radar. 

Tech Update

Building Semiconductor Manufacturing Clean Rooms

Years ago I worked for a tech company that had built what was then a state of the art clean room for semiconductor research. I was amazed to learn of the strict environmental conditions needed. Needless to say, I never got to go inside but could only admire through thick glass windows.

A semiconductor cleanroom is an exercise in extreme environmental control when considering that a single speck of dust is massive compared to the nanometer-scale transistors on a silicon wafer. The room must be so much cleaner than a hospital surgery room. 

The air in the entire facility is flushed and filtered continuously to remove 99.999% of airborne particles.  Consider a typical office might have 500,000 to 1,000,000 dust particles per cubic foot. In comparison, a Class 1 cleanroom allows no more than 1 particle larger than 0.5 microns per cubic foot.

In addition to air purification, there are extreme systems to ensure strict control of temperature, humidity and vibration.

U.S. based semiconductor manufacturing is ramping up due to the recent renaissance in American manufacturing that President Trump has played an instrumental role in fostering.

These are multi-$Billion mega projects the cost of which are mind blowing. Consider that the TSMC Arizona Fabs are estimated to cost $165B which exceeds the annual GDP of Kenya ($147B) and close to that of oil rich Kuwait ($173B)!

An example of some of these projects in planning are:

Health Nuggets

Walking Properly to Improve Health After 50

Walking, especially after age 50, is a medical necessity. After age 50, the body launches an entire cascade of physiological changes. The first change, muscle mass begins to disappear. This process is called sarcopenia. After 50, you lose roughly 1 to 2% of your total muscle mass every single year. Muscle is just not about strength, but also about stabilizing your joints. Muscle regulates your blood sugar, it holds your posture upright and gives you balance when you walk. Lose enough muscle and everything downstream starts to fall apart.

The second change, your joints stiffen. Cartilage, the smooth cushioning tissue at the end of your bones, has no blood supply of its own. It gets its nutrition exclusively through movement. Without regular movement, cartilage literally starves, it thins out and loses elasticity. Eventually, it begins to break down. That breakdown is called osteoarthritis. 

The third change, your metabolism slows down. Your basil metabolic rate drops by roughly 2 to 3% every 10 years after 50.

The fourth change, circulation becomes less efficient. Your blood vessel walls gradually lose elasticity, your heart pumps with slightly less power. Peripheral circulation, meaning blood flow to the legs, the feet, the small vessels, deteriorates. This is why so many people over 50 notice cold feet, nighttime leg cramps, and a heavy, tired feeling in their lower legs by the end of the day. Here’s the critical point: walking works on all four of those systems at once. It activates muscle; triggers cartilage nutrition through movement; accelerates metabolism; and improves circulation.

Walking correctly is also very important. Here are 5 mistakes to avoid in order to avoid injury:

• Start your walk slowly for the first 3-5 minutes, starting too fast will cause tiny microscopic tears in the muscle tissue that can turn into chronic pain syndromes over time. 

• Posture: hunched forward, head jutting out in front, shoulders rounded down and forward, eyes aimed at the ground a few feet ahead is a biomechanical catastrophe for your spine and your respiratory system. How to fix it: picture a thin thread attached to the top of your head pulling you gently upward. It allows your spine to decompress and strengthen, shoulders are relaxed, drawn slightly back. Eyes forward on the horizon, not at the pavement, chin parallel to the ground, and chest open.

• Wrong shoes: shoes are the last thing people think about when walking. There is nothing more important than what sits between our feet and the ground. As you age, the fat pads on the soles of your feet thin out and the muscles and ligaments of the foot weaken with age. The arch of the foot can begin to collapse (flat foot). Flat foot changes the entire load angle on the knee, shifts the axis of the hip joint, and increases spinal stress. Regular walkers should change their walking shoes at least once a year.

• Consistency: evidence-based medicine is clear on this, 20 to 30 minutes of walking on most days of the week is the minimum effective dose for your cardiovascular system. It reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Your body adapts to what repeats only to what repeats. Start with 10 minutes/day, 3 times a week, and after a week, add 5 minutes and 2 more days. 

• Recovery: Nobody talks about this. Once done walking, drink water. Muscle tissue is 70 to 75% water and it will prevent cramping and muscle stiffness. Stretching: make sure to stretch your achilles, calves, thighs and lower back. Five minutes of gentle stretching after every walk will prevent unwanted chronic muscle stiffness.

You do not need a gym or expensive equipment, you do not need any special preparation. You need the right habits and a conscious approach. HAPPY WALKING!

Note: Health Nuggets are opinions and not medical advice.

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