The Bridge Austin

Do you need a mediator between you and God? What role does a mediator have in your life? Find out answers to questions like these and more in today's episode!

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The rejection and execution of Jesus should have been the last straw for God. He loved us enough to send Him in human form, experiencing temptation and the struggles of this life. But instead of celebrating and welcoming Him as the Messiah, we scorned Him and treated Him like a criminal with no justification. Yet, as Pastor Chris will point out in today’s message, in His incredible grace, God followed through on His promise to bring restoration and subjected His own Son to death to save us.

Today, Pastor Jack teaches that David had both enemies and friends. It was a matter of the soul that Jonathan and David had a deep fellowship with one another, and made a covenant founded on love, and in their love for God.

What happens when teens turn to drugs to cope with struggles that feel too heavy to bear? Many young people use substances as a way to escape feelings of hurt, isolation or confusion. In today’s episode, Mark Gregston talks with two Heartlight teens whose struggles reveal how common it is for teens to use drugs to numb emotional pain. For 17-year-old Gabe, social isolation and family conflict drove him toward addiction — but today, he's on a journey of recovery, learning healthier ways to face life's challenges. Listen in for real stories, heartfelt advice and hope for families walking through similar battles.

Is Heartlight the right choice for your struggling teen? Go to heartlightministries.org to learn more!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Markets appear strong as we head into 2026, but beneath the surface, risks may be rising faster than returns. Each January, CEO and CIO of Crossmark Global Investments Bob Doll joins us on the show at Faith and Finance to offer an annual outlook, and this year he characterizes the environment as a “high-risk bull market”—a market capable of gains but vulnerable to setbacks and volatility.

Looking back to 2025, Doll believes his predictions were roughly “seven out of ten.” Corporate earnings proved far more resilient than many expected, and with the Federal Reserve avoiding aggressive tightening, markets continued to climb. Earnings, Doll notes, remain the lifeblood of stocks: as long as profits grow and the Fed is not hostile, equity markets tend to trend upward.

For 2026, Doll’s first prediction is that U.S. real GDP growth will improve modestly—from about 2% to roughly 2.5%. He attributes much of that to a large government spending package passed in an election year, providing stimulus to both households and businesses.

However, inflation remains stubborn. Doll does not expect the Fed to reach its 2% target unless a recession occurs—something he does not foresee. Instead, he anticipates inflation closer to 3%, making “affordability” a defining political issue, especially around healthcare and housing, where structural challenges remain unresolved.

On interest rates, Doll expects the 10-year Treasury yield to fluctuate in a narrow range—from the high 3% area to the mid-4% area—while credit spreads widen modestly. For bond portfolios, he favors short- to intermediate-maturity bonds over long-duration bonds.

Corporate earnings should remain strong in 2026, though not at the exceptional pace of 2025. With consensus forecasts near 14% earnings growth—almost double the historical norm—Doll expects solid but not spectacular performance. As a result, he anticipates single-digit stock market returns, not another year of outsized double-digit gains.

Sector-wise, Doll sees continued strength in financials, technology, and communication services—areas tied closely to artificial intelligence—while materials, discretionary, and utilities may lag. International stocks could also surprise investors. If they outperform U.S. equities for a second consecutive year, it would be the first such streak in two decades. Stronger liquidity, improved earnings abroad (especially in emerging markets), and potential dollar weakness all contribute—even though many Americans invest little overseas.

Artificial intelligence remains a powerful driver of productivity and market speculation, though Doll expects volatility as investors sort out the true winners and losers.

Faith-based investing, he believes, will continue its momentum as more individuals, advisors, and institutions seek alignment between values and capital. Politically, Doll predicts Republicans retain the Senate but lose the House, constraining major legislative ambitions.

If 2026 proves to be a high-risk bull market, Doll’s takeaway is straightforward: remain diversified, stay invested, and practice patient stewardship through uncertainty.

• My husband and I are at retirement age, and we have four retirement accounts: three from former employers and one Vanguard IRA. Altogether, there’s about $200,000. Should we consider consolidating these accounts? And if so, is it best to consolidate them into the Vanguard IRA?
• My husband and I are both 70. He’s retired, and a cancer survivor, and I’m still working and may work another five years. Our home and vehicles are paid off, and we have about $350,000 saved—roughly half in CDs and the rest in cash. I don’t really know anything about stocks or bonds. Should we take any risk with our money at this stage, or leave it where it is?

Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So whenever we experience moments of moral failure, we have a choice to make: Are we going to deny our failure—or repent of our failure? Dr. Robert Jeffress urges us to choose repentance over guilt.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate.

Tricia Goyer encourages Christians to embrace happiness in the Lord. She describes her painful past as an unmarried teen mom, the dangers of trying to be perfect and striving to do more rather than celebrate all the good God has done. Tricia also shares stories about navigating the trauma of her 7 adopted kids and learning to trust God for the results.

Receive the book Heart Happy and a free audio download of “Finding Happiness in the Chaos of Life” for your donation of any amount!

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