The Bridge Austin

As we walk through life, we’re faced with all kinds of decisions. Sometimes the hardest choice of the day is whether to eat out or pay extra for same-day shipping. We don’t often make life-changing decisions, but when those moments come, we can find ourselves unsure which way to go. And too often, we wait for a big sign before we move forward, so we end up doing nothing. But in today’s message, Pastor Chris encourages us to seek God not just in the major decisions, but in every area of our lives.

Between school, social media, gaming, and streaming movies and shows, kids are glued to screens with dangers lurking everywhere. So what can you do to protect them? Mandy Majors explains the different online threats your children may be up against and equips you with ways to keep them safe. With open communication being the key to stronger, healthier relationships, Mandy prepares you to lead your kids in their digital world.

Receive a copy of Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital World and an audio download of "Protecting Your Child from Online Dangers" for your donation of any amount! Your Gift DOUBLES to Help Deliver Hope and Joy! Save 2X the marriages and families this Christmas with your life-changing gift today!

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When parents discover their teen’s inappropriate behavior, it’s important to respond with calmness and perspective rather than anger or shame. Today, Mark Gregston, Wayne Shepherd and Courtney Lafleur emphasize that mistakes are a normal part of adolescence and can actually become opportunities to build stronger relationships if handled with grace and consistency. Parents should focus on teaching lessons, setting clear boundaries and maintaining the relationship — not reacting out of shock or disappointment. As Mark shares from personal experience, the goal is to keep consequences firm but relational, reminding teens that they are loved even as they face the results of their choices.

Visit parentingtodaysteens.org to explore all the resources Mark has made for parents of teens, including books, podcasts, blogs and 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. 

In “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” the songwriter laments, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” But what would compel a child of God to stray from his Heavenly Father? Dr. Robert Jeffress explains the three main reasons why Christians wander away from God.

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

Losing a spouse can shake every part of life—but God promises to walk with you through each next step.

When loss turns life upside down, even simple financial decisions can feel overwhelming. But with God’s help—and a few practical steps forward—there is hope and healing ahead. Today, Valerie Hogan joins us to share guidance for navigating the financial journey after losing a spouse.

Valerie Hogan is an attorney, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), a member of Kingdom Advisors, and the co-author of Wise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More with Miriam Neff. 

When grief hits, clarity often disappears. You may feel pressure to “get everything settled” or, on the other hand, find it impossible to make even small decisions. Both reactions are normal.

Grief colors everything. It’s difficult to separate financial choices from emotional pain. And that’s okay. The key is to give yourself permission not to have all the answers right away.

Statistics show that about 80% of women will outlive their husbands. That means most of us will one day find ourselves managing finances alone. And many women, especially from earlier generations, weren’t as involved in financial decisions during marriage.

After loss, that reality can be intimidating. Suddenly, you’re faced with choices about investments, taxes, home maintenance, and budgets—often with less income and more years of life ahead. Those early months matter, but they shouldn’t be rushed.

Before any practical steps, I want to anchor you in a truth that has carried me and countless others through difficult seasons: God owns it all.

Everything we have belongs to Him, and He is with us as we steward it. Remembering that doesn’t erase the pain, but it reminds us we’re not alone. It shifts the weight of control off our shoulders and invites God’s wisdom into our decisions.

That truth gives us permission to move slowly and prayerfully. Stewardship is not about perfection—it’s about trust.

Here are some guiding steps I often share with widows who ask, “Where do I even begin?”

1. Take One Step at a Time

You don’t need to fix everything today. Unless a change is absolutely urgent, give yourself space to rest and recover. Grief has a way of making even simple tasks feel monumental. Be patient with yourself.

2. Avoid Major Financial Moves Too Soon

Try not to make significant financial decisions while emotions are raw. Some women have sold homes, moved away, or invested large sums during intense grief—only to regret it later. Wait until your heart is steadier before making big changes.

3. Get Organized, Little by Little

Loss often leaves behind a mountain of paperwork. Start small—maybe one pile, one folder, one hour. Ask a trusted friend or advisor to help if it feels overwhelming. Progress comes one decision at a time.

4. Track What’s Coming In and Going Out

Awareness brings peace. You don’t have to overhaul your budget immediately—just begin noticing where money is going. Clarity grows with consistency.

5. Lean on Trusted Advisors

Choose people who will look out for your best interest—those with integrity and ex

For the first 18 years of a child's life, their parent plays a critical role as caregiver, guide, and mentor. But what happens when kids leave the safety of home and go off on their own? How does a parent's role change? In this program, Chip talks to author Jim Burns about his book “Doing Life with Your Adult Children.” They discuss the new complexities of the parent-child relationship and highlight the boundaries that parents need to set to empower their kids without intruding on their lives.

6 Principles to Parenting Your Adult Kids

1. Your ROLE as a parent has to change. -Psalm 127:3-5a
2. Unsolicited advice is usually taken as CRITICISM. -Proverbs 9:8-10
3. Become a STUDENT of their culture. -1 Corinthians 9:20-22
4. When your grown children VIOLATE your values, you can’t want it more than they want it. -Proverbs 14:12, 21:1
5. They will never know how far the town is if you CARRY them on your back. -Hebrews 12:11
6. Financial independence and responsibility is the GOAL. -Luke 16:10

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In this episode of The Creative Connection, Ed and Lisa Young teach that relationships are foundational to fulfilling God's purpose in life, emphasizing intentionality, truth, forgiveness, unselfishness, and consistency as vital principles for building healthy relationships that help us grow spiritually and relationally.

Pride caused the Lucifer to fall. Why would God's archangel turn traitor, knowing he could never defeat the all-powerful Creator? In this message from Isaiah 14, Pastor Lutzer discusses how pride took root. In rebelling against God, Lucifer took millions of other angels with him. 

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Moody Church Media [https://www.moodymedia.org/], home of "Running To Win," exists to bring glory to God through the transformation of lives.

Erwin W. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. He is a prolific author of over seventy books. A clear expositor of the Bible, he is the featured speaker on "Running To Win" and "Songs In The Night," with programs broadcasting on over a thousand outlets in the U.S. and across more than fifty countries in seven languages. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren.

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