Morning Conversation: MyBridge Radio

Third Day is back on stage, and Mac Powell couldn’t be more excited! The co-founder and lead singer of the legendary Christian band shares what it’s like to reunite with the original members of Third Day after years apart, why their tour feels so special, and how the band’s journey has gone far beyond anything they imagined. 

Mac also opens up about walking through a frightening medical crisis with his wife, Aimee, and how the faith he had sung about for years became real in the middle of uncertainty. He also shares why difficult seasons can prepare us for what God has next, and tells the remarkable story of how Third Day’s song “Cry Out to Jesus” helped a young man choose to keep living.

It’s an honest, encouraging conversation about trusting God, the purpose of hard seasons, and the lasting impact a song can have when someone needs it most.

There’s more to life than winning the game, raising successful kids, and making the most of the opportunities in front of us—what we do for eternity is what matters most. Marshal Hardy, Executive Pastor at Lifepoint Church in Norfolk, Nebraska, joins the Morning Conversation ahead of FCA’s Weekend of Champions (Nov. 14-15, 2026) to talk about what it looks like to follow Jesus in the middle of everyday life. From the influence his parents had on his faith to the joy of baptizing all three of his children, Marshal shares why the things that matter most often go far beyond the things that get the most attention.

We also talk about how athletes, coaches, and parents can reflect Christ in both wins and losses, why faith has to be more than a pregame prayer, and how a community of believers can remind students they’re not alone. Plus, Marshal shares a challenging picture from John 15 that gets right to the heart of spiritual growth: “I would rather be cut back than cut off.” It’s a conversation about surrender, lasting priorities, and trusting God to produce the kind of fruit that matters for eternity.

What if God wants to do more in your life than you can imagine—but it starts with trusting Him with the story you’re living right now? Susie Larson, one of our favorite voices on Morning Conversation: The Podcast talks about her book More Than You Can Imagine and what it means to live with resilient trust in God. Whether you’re facing a storm, waiting for an answer, or simply feeling stuck in the routine of faith, Susie reminds us that God is still at work—even when we can’t see what He’s doing. And sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn’t our circumstances, but how much access we’re willing to give God to our hearts and our stories.

Susie shares practical ways to strengthen your faith, from replacing fear-filled thoughts with the truth of God’s Word to remembering His past faithfulness when you’re waiting for your next miracle. She offers a powerful reminder for those seasons when hope feels hard to find: if you’re in between miracles, borrow one from Scripture, your own story, or the testimony of a friend. We also talk about finding our identity in Christ, letting go of the things we’ve been trying to manage ourselves, and discovering the peace that comes when we surrender our lives more fully to God. It’s an encouraging conversation about trusting the God who is still writing your story.

Find Susie’s book here: https://www.susielarson.com/susiesbookstore/p/more-than-you-can-imagine

Nebraska football tight end Luke Lindenmeyer grew up knowing about Jesus, but it wasn’t until his senior year of high school that he says he truly made the decision to give his life to Christ. Since then, God has used coaches, teammates, his wife, and a growing desire to study Scripture to help Luke grow in his faith—and at Nebraska, that has led him to start and lead a player-led Bible study. Luke talks about what it means to follow Jesus in the middle of college football, why he believes he can actually worship God by pursuing excellence on the field, and how one teammate’s observation that he was becoming “more like Jesus” challenged and encouraged him.

Luke also opens up about the pressure that comes with being a college athlete and how his growing identity in Christ has changed the way he approaches football, social media, success, and failure. He shares why he’s learning to “play free” rather than live for the approval of others, why he believes his eternity is secure whether football continues or not, and the prayer he takes into every game: “Use me.” It’s a conversation about faith in the middle of competition—and learning that who we are in Christ matters far more than what we accomplish on the field.

What does it really mean to follow Jesus when the road isn’t easy? Christian recording artist Cade Thompson opens up about some of the lessons God has been teaching him through marriage, music, waiting, and the everyday choice to pursue Jesus. He shares why the “waiting season is never a wasted season,” why following Jesus requires more than simply avoiding the big compromises, and why what happens in the secret place matters far more than what happens on a platform. Cade also talks about his new music and the message behind his upcoming album, Narrow—an invitation to stay on the road with Jesus, even when following Him comes at a cost.

Cade also gets very personal about his own struggle with perfectionism and the shame that can come when we know we’ve fallen short. He explains why he had to remind himself that following Jesus isn’t about perfection—it’s about pursuing Him—and why the cross changes everything when we realize our sin has already been paid for. And in one of the most challenging moments of the conversation, Cade asks what would happen if everything he’s known for—including his music—were suddenly taken away. His answer is a powerful reminder that our identity isn’t found in what we do for Christ, but in who we are as sons and daughters of God.

What happens when you grow up knowing all the songs, the Bible stories, and the language of faith—but realize you don’t really know Jesus? Singer and songwriter Bay Turner shares the very personal journey that took him from growing up in church to truly walking with Christ, from Texas to New York City and eventually to Brooklyn Tabernacle. Along the way, he discovered that God can use even the things we don’t understand or appreciate at the time—and that the gifts He gives us are ultimately meant to point us back to Him. Bay also shares the powerful lesson he learned about the difference between performing and worshiping, and why true worship is much bigger than what happens when we sing.

Bay’s story takes an unexpected turn when a vocal injury threatened to take away the very gift he had built his life around. He talks honestly about learning that his value doesn’t come from his voice, his career, or his success, but simply from being a child of God. We’ll also hear the stories behind some of his music—including “Praise the Lord,” “Somebody’s Praying,” and his recording of “It Is Well”—and how God has used those songs in ways Bay never expected. It’s a conversation about surrender, identity, obedience, worship, and what can happen when we simply put one foot in front of the other and trust Jesus along the way.

What does it really mean to finish well? Amber Albee Swenson has spent years walking alongside elderly people and their families, and she’s learned that finishing well involves much more than simply making it to the end. It’s about where we place our hope, how we respond to aging and loss, the legacy we leave for our children and grandchildren, and continuing to live with purpose and faithfulness in every season of life. In this conversation, Amber shares some powerful lessons she’s learned from those who have walked this road before us—including why one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation is showing them how to finish well.

We also get very practical about caring for aging parents and loved ones. Amber talks honestly about the challenges of caregiving, the guilt that can come with it, why we shouldn't be afraid to ask for help, and how small steps can make difficult seasons more manageable. Whether you're caring for an aging parent, preparing for that season yourself, or simply want to live in a way that leaves a lasting spiritual legacy, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to think differently about aging, purpose, community, and what it looks like to finish your race well.

For more on Amber's book

What if the prayer Jesus taught His disciples isn't just something we're supposed to recite—but a pattern that can actually reshape the way we live? Pastor and author Matt Smallbone admits that for much of his life, prayer felt haphazard. After walking through the pain of unanswered prayer and realizing he hadn't really taken Jesus' instructions about prayer seriously, Matt decided to try something simple: pray the way Jesus said to pray. The result? He says it “changed everything.”

In this conversation, Matt takes us through what happened when he began praying through the Lord's Prayer—learning to surrender his own little kingdom, trust God as a loving Father, forgive others, recognize spiritual battles, and bring his daily needs to God. It's an honest and practical conversation for anyone who has ever struggled to pray consistently, wondered what to do with unanswered prayer, or simply wants a deeper relationship with Jesus. You may come away with a completely different perspective on prayer—and a simple way to start putting it into practice today.

For more information on Matt’s book: https://faithgateway.com/products/the-prayer-experiment-how-praying-like-jesus-realigns-everything-our-thoughts-our-hearts-and-our-posture-toward-god-and-the-world?variant=44676818305160

What happens when a simple question—“Could technology help people connect with God’s Word?”—turns into a ministry reaching people around the world? Greg Hall, Chief Operating and Growth Officer for YouVersion, takes us behind the Bible App and shares how God is using technology to connect people with Scripture in more than 2,400 languages and thousands of Bible versions. But this conversation isn't really about apps, downloads or impressive numbers. Greg explains why YouVersion isn't satisfied with simply getting the Bible into people's hands—they want to see God's Word get into people's hearts and lead to lasting life change.

Along the way, Greg shares remarkable stories of people whose lives have been transformed by Scripture, including a man in Zambia who once carried physical Bibles through dangerous wilderness and a man in South Africa who encountered a verse of the day during one of the darkest moments of his life. He also talks about helping families engage with Scripture together, the surprising ways God can use our everyday skills for His purposes, and why technology should open the door to God's Word rather than replace our relationship with Him. Ultimately, Greg keeps coming back to one powerful idea: YouVersion may reach billions, but the mission is still about the one person who needs the hope found in God's Word.

What if what you’re taking in is shaping what people see coming out of your life? Social researcher and author Shaunti Feldhahn shares the surprising story of how flamingos became the inspiration for a powerful spiritual lesson: these colorful birds get their vibrant color from what they consume, and in much the same way, what we continually take in from God’s Word and His Spirit shapes the way we live and the witness we have in the world. Shaunti talks about what it means to have “faith in full color” and why thriving as a follower of Jesus isn’t ultimately just about making our own lives better—it’s about pointing others toward Him.

Along the way, Shaunti challenges us to recognize the kingdom purposes God has placed beneath the surface of our everyday jobs and responsibilities, to look for the opportunities He puts right in front of us, and to discover the gifts He has given each of us. She also offers a fresh perspective on Jesus’ promise of rest, shares fascinating research about how our words affect the way we feel, challenges the idea that venting is always healthy, and offers simple ways to actively feed our faith. It’s a conversation full of practical encouragement and spiritual insight—and it may just have you asking a very important question: What are you taking in, and what is it producing in you?