River Radio

What if courage for your entire family was as simple as remembering you’re never truly alone—even in life’s scariest moments? On this episode of 7 Minute Devotions for Busy Parents, Christen Clark unpacks one of God’s most comforting promises and gets real about the challenges of Christian parenting after her own family’s recent car accident. This short-but-powerful encouragement dives into the heart of raising Christian kids who face real fears, the purpose behind tough seasons, and how to anchor authentic faith at home—especially when family life feels uncertain. [00:01:15] The promise from Deuteronomy 31:8 [00:05:00] Practical tips for discipleship and helping kids embrace faith and courage Resources: Instagram: @7minutedevotions, @christenclark Family Podcast: @collidekidspodcast Support the show

In this episode, Steve Deace discusses the current political landscape in the Midwest, the impact of Trump's policies, and the strategic considerations for upcoming elections. He also shares insights on campaign messaging, voter behavior, and the future of conservative leadership. 00:00 Introduction and Political Context in the Midwest 01:56 Trump's Influence on State Politics and Voter Sentiment 03:54 Campaign Strategies and the Role of Morality 05:54 Voter Behavior and Issue Intensity in Elections 07:55 The Impact of Abortion Politics and Campaign Messaging 09:59 Minnesota and the Political Landscape in the Middle East 11:49 Confronting Cultural and Political Challenges 14:10 The Future of Conservative Leadership and JD Vance 16:01 The Role of Credibility and Discipleship in Politics 17:51 The Importance of Morality and Strategy in Campaigns 20:02 The Next Generation and Political Engagement 22:05 Advice for Future Leaders and the Path Forward 23:45 Concluding Remarks and Final Thoughts

Brock Eastman is an award-winning writer, with a degree in marketing and works for David C. Cook, leading the Action Bible brand portfolio and developing digital products and content for the children’s WonderInk curriculum. He was a producer and podcast host for Adventures in Odyssey and the marketing lead for kids and parenting products at Focus on the Family. His contribution to the Go Bible includes creating the Key Verse Challenge feature. He loves playing games, cooking with his wife, and reading stories to his four kids each night, who have also been co-authors on several of his projects. Shaun Stevenson is an author, speaker, and Children’s Pastor. He loves seeing families discover who God is, what God has done, is doing, and will do one day! As a writer and storyteller, Shaun loves bringing Scripture to life for kids by creating fun ways for them to experience God’s Word. He hold a Bachelors degree in Bible and Theology from Multnomah University and a Master’s of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Biblical Studies from Portland Seminary. When Shaun's not writing, performing magic tricks for summer reading programs at local libraries, or reading a vintage middle grade book from the 1990s, he can often be found exploring coffee shops, thrift stores, and escape rooms with his wife! Welcome to the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast. On this podcast, let’s step aside from our busy lives to have fun, fascinating life-giving conversation with inspiring authors, pastors, sports personalities and other influencers, leaders and followers. Sit back, grab some coffee, or head down the road and let’s get the good and the gold from today’s guest. Our host is Jeff Pinkleton, Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to connect men to men, and men to God. You can reach Jeff at GatheringMV.org or find him on Facebook at The Gathering of the Miami Valley.

We are “pinching some salt” on topics that we face as Christians in today’s world. According to Jesus in Matthew 5:13, we are to be the salt of the earth. That means we must Speak, Act, Look and Think like Christ in every area of our lives. In each episode we will dive into a topic and see what scripture says about it, while telling stories from our own lives. Spread the Love: We love to love on people when it's convenient, but what about when it isn't? Listen to our conversation about loving those around us like God loves us. We would like to thank our amazing sponsors: Renewed Strength Church, Cheryl and Dan Crews, and Zach and Taylor Johnson for their support! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook! While you're at it, send us a message, like, comment and share our page! You can also email us at [email protected]! Thanks for listening!

The Session: The Pastoral Grind Proverbs 4:23: "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life" Stress, loneliness and political division are the three items that rise to the surface. 56% of pastors say stress of the job is the biggest issue. (43%) of Pastor, say “I feel lonely and isolated. Treatment Pastors should have a leader outside of his church Pastors should have a small group that they attend with their spouse outside of the church they pastor. Pastors should have a support group that they can be supported in. It should be a safe place where they can vent pray and be supported. If there isn’t one that you’re aware of then maybe start one and invite a number of other pastors to a luncheon to talk about. The following statistics are likely a result of not feeding themselves before the Lord. Without safe people to talk about how they feel it is very difficult. Only 26% of the pastors said they had regular devotions. This is very important. So, in their spiritual bank account, they are running on a negative balance, because they are always withdrawing from that account without depositing in to it. 70% of pastors suffer from depression Without close relationships or a support group it is difficult to share and open up. 77% of pastors believe they are not in a good marriage. 50% of pastors end up in divorce Pastors have to prioritize their marriages. They have to be assertive with their church to get the time and space to do it They are a role model to their people. 40% of pastors have had an extra marital affair. Hurting people turn to the pastor who is hurting which is when needs get met outside of marriage. 70% of pastors only study the word when doing sermon prep. They are not exercising their spiritual muscles. 70% of pastors do not have close friends There has to be a personal life. (From Scott….should those friends be outside the church the Pastor serves in?) 35% of Pastors struggle with from sexual sin This leads to loneliness and divorce. As Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam—author of The Resilient Pastor—writes in Barna’s The State of Your Church, “We need sages to advise us, leaders to direct us or hold us accountable, peers to remind us that we aren’t alone, healers to dress our wounds and companions who carry us when we can’t carry on.” A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey! To reach Tom Russell, please call 419-709-8447, email Tom at [email protected], or visit his website at https://www.heritagechristiancounselingofmansfield.com Click this link to purchase Tom’s devotional, “Seeing Yourself Through the Eyes of God: A Weekly Devotional for Improving Self-Esteem.”