CrossCurrent Podcasts

John and Maria talk about how the world has changed in the 25 years since 9/11. How concerned should we be about Artificial Intelligence ending humanity. And thoughts about Charlie Kirk one year after his assassination.

Segment 1 – 9/11 Anniversary

• 25 Years after 9/11

• Ali Tablet article on 9/11

• The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 Graff, Garrett M.

• Drive Thru History Special hosted by Dave Stotts

Segment 2 – AI Fears

As a secret service agent, Darin Kinder was trained to handle emergencies. As a Christian, he was gifted with compassion for others. Hear his eyewitness account of the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York City on 9/11/2001 and how he was able to serve other people and make it out alive.

Receive a copy of "Bury Me in a Dirty Suit" and an audio download of "Serving and Surviving in New York on 9/11" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

Get More Episode Resources 

Do you have a story or comment on how Focus on the Family impacted you or your family? Leave a message for Jim Daly!

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

God willing, it won't take another day like 9-11 for us to recapture an awareness of what is true and good.

__________

For more resources visit breakpoint.org. 

New 90-day sprint to finish your book starts September 10, 2026. Details at: https://www.trainingauthors.com/sprint

You finished your first draft. And ever since, you have been telling yourself the same thing. I need to find an editor.

Months go by. You Google Christian book editor, scroll through websites, bookmark a few, and never reach out.

Editors are not hard to find. There are plenty of them. What nobody has taught you is what kind of help you actually need, and who you can trust with the message God gave you.

In this episode I walk you through three steps: name the stage of editing you are at, know that affordable and trusted editors exist, and reach out with your word count and a request for a sample edit.

One of our members, Pam, said it plainly. "Through the final draft stage, I was able to self-edit the book more thoroughly and figure out how to hire a professional editor." Notice the order. The self-editing came first.

Once you know what you are asking for, and you are choosing from people who have already been vetted, finding an editor stops being a permanent stall and becomes a doable task.

If you are already a member, pull up the recommended editor list inside Christian Book Academy and pick one editor to contact this week. If you are not yet a member, you can join us at Christian Book Academy.

Have a thought on this episode? Share your comments on YouTube here.

Don't forget to join us for the next 90-day sprint to finish your book here: https://www.trainingauthors.com/sprint

Use coupon code INNERCIRCLE25 for 25% off through September 12, 2026.

In this conversation, Kurt Luidhardt talks with Ben Spell, co-founder of Good Ranchers, an American meat company that began with a calling he never expected.

For years, Ben served in full-time ministry as a worship leader and producer at one of Houston's largest churches.

But after becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of transparency in the American food system, he found himself repeatedly saying, "Somebody should do something about this." Eventually, he believes God gave him a simple answer: "You do it."

What followed was a leap of faith. With little experience in the industry, Ben and his wife launched Good Ranchers with a mission to connect American families to American farms.

What started with selling meat from trucks eventually grew into a nationwide direct-to-consumer business.

Ben also reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic changed his perspective on business. After donating truckloads of food to families in need, he realized that business could be ministry—serving people, creating jobs, and meeting practical needs in meaningful ways.

The conversation explores faith, entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and the courage to act when the outcome is uncertain.

Ben shares why fear keeps many people from pursuing opportunities and why some of life's biggest breakthroughs begin with a simple step of obedience.

If you've ever felt called to do something beyond your experience or comfort zone, Ben's story is a powerful reminder that faith often grows when you're willing to take the first step.

00:42 Introducing Ben Spell and Good Ranchers

04:12 From Worship Leader to Full-Time Ministry

05:33 The Parking Lot Moment That Changed Everything

06:36 "Somebody Should Do Something About This"

07:50 "I Heard the Voice of the Lord: You Do It"

09:42 Going All-In and Moving Online

10:36 Why Food Transparency Matters

11:46 Connecting American Families to American Farms

15:12 Taking the Leap Into Entrepreneurship

17:27 The "Burn the Boats" Decision

18:42 Sitting With CEOs, Team Owners, and Industry Leaders

19:07 Why Fear Keeps People Stuck

20:49 From Ministry to Business Leadership

21:48 Giving Away Truckloads of Food During COVID

22:57 What Ministry Really Means

23:44 Realizing Business Can Be Ministry

23:55 Growing the Brand Through IndyCar and Media

32:52 Quality, Convenience, and Serving Families

41:59 Faith, Entrepreneurship, and Long-Term Impact

40:53 Final Thoughts and Where to Learn More

Connect With Ben Spell & Good Ranchers

● Good Ranchers: https://www.goodranchers.com/pages/about

● Good Ranchers Subscription Boxes: https://www.goodranchers.com/collections/core-boxes

● Good Ranchers on IG: https://www.instagram.com/goodranchers/?hl=en

● Good Ranchers on FB: https://www.facebook.com/goodranchers/

Connect with Liberty Spenders™:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libertyspenders

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/libertyspenders

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyspenders

• Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-6192506

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXn-vzlA03r59neWZD0ofJA

• X: https://x.com/LibertySpenders

Connect with Kurt and Kristen Luidhardt:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luidhardts

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luidhardts

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luidhardts

• Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@luidhardts

• X: https://x.com/luidhardts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. John Townsend shares practical tips for parents struggling to set boundaries with their children. He’ll provide insights into relatable situations spanning every stage of the parenting journey, from teaching unruly toddlers to dealing with adult children who still live at home. Hear his advice for teaching kids to take responsibility and grow into healthy adults.  

Receive a copy of Boundaries with Kids and an audio download of "Proven Strategies to Help Your Children Establish Healthy Boundaries" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.

Get More Episode Resources 

Do you have a story or comment on how Focus on the Family impacted you or your family? Leave a message for Jim Daly!

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

The human heart remains as religious as ever.

__________

For more resources visit breakpoint.org.