In this episode, Debbie speaks straight to the hearts of those she wrote her book for — believers who feel worn down, confused, and wondering why the Christian life feels harder than they expected. She unpacks the reality that life is a spiritual battle, and shows how we can either face it God’s way with strength and purpose… or let discouragement and the enemy push us around.

Debbie shares her personal salvation story, her journey into more than 25 years of Bible teaching, and the passion behind her book - “Put up a Fight” - a message born from what she’s seen missing in many believers’ lives. This episode will challenge you, equip you, and leave you encouraged to stand firm, grow stronger, and live your faith with boldness.

Debbie has been in love with the Word of God since her salvation at the age of 20. Helping people grow in their knowledge of God and His Word and become strong in their faith is her passion. She lives with her husband, Mark, in Minnesota.  Her website is:  DebbieKeefe.com

About the Book
Put Up A Fight will reveal the help and hope that can be yours when you prepare for the struggles of life God's Way.

What You'll Discover:
        The world is confusing; learn the truth that will lead and guide you
        Discover the schemes of our enemy, the devil
        Learn how to fight back using the Armor of God
        Prepare for the battles of life with biblical wisdom
        Learn how to fight the battles of life effectively
        Live victoriously through God's power

The book is available on Amazon and at Lake Effect in New London, MN 

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

On this episode of the  ⁨@TheOnePebblePodcast⁩ , we connect with Kristi Barber. Kristi is a mom of 2 who has been a lifelong resident of Spicer, MN. She serves as Guardian ad Litem for the State of Minnesota. Kristi also serves on the New London School Board, works at Snap Fitness in Spicer, and is an active community volunteer.

Kristi has lost 97.4 pounds since June 23, 2024, which was when she started the program following a head-on car accident on April 1, 2023. Losing weight has helped her manage chronic pain. In January 2025, she unexpectedly lost her brother. He was the youngest brother and left behind a wife and 2 children.

As of February she is over 590 days or 1 year, 7 months, and 12 days on Omada program while working at SNAP fitness in spicer, working with health coach, doing therapy (both individual and group), working with dietician, doctor, physical and occupational therapists, high protein, calorie deficit diet, working with nurse practitioner specializing in weight loss programs, weight loss medications, mindfulness program, workout accountability support team. Family support. God's support and love! Community support! 

She has averaged 5 pounds a month loss while managing pain, grief, and the lonely world of empty nesting. Grateful to family, best friends, God, community, medical team, SNAP, siblings, nieces and nephews, but most importantly, her children and the unexpected gift of community friends and support.

Words from Kristi:
Weight loss ups and downs: divorce of parents, personal divorce, difficult work-life balance as in helper professions, compassion fatigue, stress, anxiety, financial hardships during an accident, and prioritizing others before self. Importance of talking to self in a positive way, self-worth, and taking time to recover, heal, and build helpers in your own life to help you navigate this process. 

Find the joy moments. Find your fuel!

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

On this episode, Kristine and Harris sit down with two teachers-representing both public and private schools. Learn why they decided on education as a career, what they say are the biggest challenges facing both teachers and students, especially when it comes to social media and AI, and why communication with parents is so critical in the education process. And one thing they both emphasize...learning should be fun. It's an episode you don't want to miss!

Jake Abrams is a high school math and science teacher at Central Minnesota Christian School, where he incidentally graduated from in 2020. He has a degree in apologetics from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. He grew up in the Willmar Area, and he enjoys reading, writing, and playing long, complicated board games with friends

Jenny Olson is a 7th-year teacher with experience in both private and public schools, currently teaching 5th Grade Science at New London-Spicer Middle School. She got her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from St. Cloud State University and her graduate degree in Trauma and Resilience in Educational Settings from Concordia University - St. Paul. When she is not in the classroom, Jenny enjoys reading, playing music, being creative, and spending time outdoors through various activities. 

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

On this episode, Harris, Elsie & Kristine kick off the new year with a fun and engaging conversation focused on reflections, resolutions, finding their why, and being intentional.

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of The One Pebble Podcast, Kristine sits down with three incredibly special guests - her dad, Dale Fladeboe, and their band members and dear friends, Pat Hood and Don Shuck.  They joyfully put on a Christmas Singspiration and Storytelling for you to sing with, reflect with, laugh with, and to bring you a little Christmas spirit!  Merry Christmas! 

Dale loves singing in parades, but his favorite day of the year is Christmas morning!  Dale Fladeboe is a Minnesota State Auctioneers Association Hall of Fame Auctioneer, who opened Fladeboe Auctions in Willmar, Minnesota in 1978 after attending the Worldwide College of Auctioneering. Since that time, the company has grown to specialize in selling farmland across MN and charitable fundraising auctions across the nation and worldwide. Dale continues to conduct auctions regularly and is extremely proud to have his children join him in the family business. He and his wife, Grace, have been married for 58 years and live on a working farm near Willmar, Minnesota.  His faith, family, and community are his pride and joy!

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

Kristine sits down with the incredibly inspiring and faith-filled Ruth McKeaney. Ruth is a wife, mom of five, the award-winning author of Hungry for Home, TV show host of At Home with Ruth McKeaney on Homeworthy, home restorer, and so much more! Ruth grew up in an environment marked by transitions. However, her strong family culture, centered around Christ, taught her that home is defined by family rather than a specific location. Carrying this lesson into her adult life, Ruth transitioned from a successful law career to flipping homes with her husband while raising their children. Ruth is passionate about being generous with both home and family and looks for opportunities to practice hospitality for friends and loved ones. She is full of practical wisdom in creating a strong family culture, hospitality, and traditions. Through Ruth’s book and TV show, Ruth shares how you can intentionally cultivate your home into a place of blessing and generosity for your family and all who come through your door. Ruth reminds us that home is not a dwelling; it’s being present right where you are and including those around you. Ruth shares her story as to how she got to where she is today, and she gives all glory to God! The McKeaneys' beautiful home in the Philadelphia area, called Hillside Farm, has been featured in countless magazines, media posts, and in Ruth’s TV show.  We hope you enjoy Ruth’s amazing message!  Merry Christmas!

Ruth says - 
It's a lovely property with giant trees and rolling hills, an enormous barn, a chicken coup, and a constant stream of friends and family. Ruth’s passion is in small-group settings." Really? Write about my life at Hillside? I chuckled and put the idea in my back pocket, never expecting to take it out again. But, like a persistent seed, the idea refused to stay buried. Instead, it took root and sprouted straight up. And before I knew it, one page after another, a book was born. It took all of us working together. My daughters did the calligraphy and illustrations, and Bob cheered me on. Like Hillside, the book is a representation of Bob and me. We have flipped many homes, but Hillside is the apex of our rehab adventures.
For one year, we documented our life at the farm through words and photographs. In spring, we planted bulbs and threw garden parties. We gathered eggs and baked quiches. We celebrated new life and growth and all the color that comes with it. In summer, the fun and games went on from morning till night. Family and friends flowed in and out, and the BBQ never stopped. In autumn, we picked bushels of apples, baked crisps and pies, shut our garden down, and remembered why we are thankful for one another. In winter, as the snow covered the fields, we stayed warm inside with soups and stews and favorite books read by the fire. The monotony of the cold was broken by holiday parties and the promise of a new year. From our favorite traditions and time-earned wisdom, to family recipes, gardening ideas, and hosting tips, for one year, we captured what "home" means to us. It is our hope that you will feel at home in its pages and be encouraged to make your house a home for others as well.

You can connect with Ruth here:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

YouTube

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of The One Pebble Podcast, Kristine and Harris sit down with Dan and Sharon Hansen; who serve as Care Ministers at Refuge Church in Willmar, Minnesota. After years of serving at the Yellowstone Boys Ranch, the Hansens moved to Willmar as Directors of Youth for Christ and founded Hansen Advertising a few years later. After selling the business to their son, the Hansens started working with R & J Tours and spent 21 years leading travel groups on adventures across the country. The Hansens have three children, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. 

From Dan and Sharon: "Upon retiring from R&J in December of 2024, we were invited to serve as Care Ministers on our church staff. Our focus is mainly to retirement age folks, but we find the needs are many and often draw us to multiple places.

Again, we often feel inadequate. We just ask God to guide us. We love the folks and love what we are doing. When we started our “til death do us part” journey together there was no intentional plan to do everything together. But as we look back, we see that God has orchestrated just that. We have literally done everything together!"

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of The One Pebble Podcast, Kristine and Harris sit down with Hunter Pinke; former University of North Dakota Football team captain, whose life changed in an instant because of a ski accident. 

Hunter is a lifelong North Dakotan who grew up in the rural town of Wishek, ND. While attending Wishek high school, Hunter participated in Class B basketball, 9-man football, track and field, American Legion baseball, FFA, International and State Science Fairs, Science Olympiad, choir, band, piano festivals, drama and speech. He graduated in 2016 as the valedictorian of his class of 18 students.

Hunter went on to pursue a college education from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. In addition to his studies, Hunter was a tight end on the UND football team and served as team captain for the 2020-2021 season. During his time at UND, Hunter served for three years on the leadership team of the UND Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is devout Christian. In the winter of 2019, Hunter was injured while skiing in Keystone, Colo. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury and a broken back after a collision with another skier propelled Hunter into a tree. Hunter was airlifted off the mountain and underwent an eight-hour surgery at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood, Colo. Hunter suffered a complete spinal cord injury, leaving him currently paralyzed from his chest down.

Hunter did his spinal cord injury rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo.

He returned to the University of North Dakota where he graduated with a bachelors of science in Mechanical Engineering. Hunter recently graduated in the Spring of 2024 from the University of Arizona with a graduate degree in real estate development while also competing on the University of Arizona Wheelchair Basketball Team where he served as team captain the past two seasons.  

Hunter’s greatest passions include outdoor recreation in rural North Dakota and Minnesota, participating in or being a fan of any type of athletics, and sharing his story of gratefulness and overcoming adversity throughout the country.

https://www.hunterpinke.com/

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of The One Pebble Podcast, Kristine sits down with Pascal Nery Jean-Charles and Jenna Thorson, with Children of The Promise, located in Cap Haitian, Haiti.  

Pascal has received awards from the American Psychological Association and the Pontificia Catolica Madre y Maestra University for his excellent work in the Haitian community. He began his university studies in the Dominican Republic. He entered the Pontificia Catolica Madre y Maestra University from 2004 to 2009 where he graduated with honors Cum Laude in Psychology. After graduating, he went to Spain, Madrid to continue his education. He entered the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid where he obtained a Diploma in Higher Education in Psychotherapy and a Master of Science in Psychology of Education. He also obtained a Master of Arts in Clinical and Health Psychology from the Instituto Superior de Estudios Psicologicos, ISEP, Madrid.

Back in Haiti, he has worked in both the public and private sectors, non-governmental and international organizations such as Save The Children International, Plan International and Children of The Promise filling role as advisor , senior program director, consultant for programs in health nutrition, family, school and children with special needs. Currently he’s the National Executive Director for Children of The Promise. He co-founded and co-directs La Petite Chenille Therapy Center since 2016 specializing in the care of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, he teaches and participates in research since 2014 at Quisqueya University and Notre Dame University in Jacmel. He was 2021-2024 president of the Haitian Association of Psychology and the Haitian Foundation for Learning Disabilities and a consultant for Etincelle.  

Jenna Thorson has more than 12 years of experience in marketing across both the international non-profit and for-profit sectors. She has organized and led countless mission teams and individuals, creating shared, cross-cultural experiences that expand worldviews. She believes deeply in the transformative power of short-term mission trips and the ways the Lord uses those experiences to shape our purpose.

As the Development Director at Children of the Promise (COTP), Jenna is particularly interested in understanding what motivates people to give and how storytelling can drive lasting impact.

----

Children of the Promise (COTP) is a non-profit organization serving vulnerable children and families in Northern Haiti. Rooted in the belief that every child belongs in a healthy, Christian home, COTP exists to serve families at risk of separation—those facing crisis or vulnerable to it. We invest in family-strengthening programs designed to keep families together and empower them toward sustainable health and wellness. Our programs address key vulnerabilities and provide services that strengthen, support, and equip families to thrive. When separation has already occurred, we pursue family-based solutions, using family-style residential care only as a temporary, short-term option. Our ultimate goal is to see every child placed in a healthy, sustainable family through reunification, domestic placement, or international adoption.

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!

In this episode of The One Pebble Podcast, Kristine chats with Glen Just; who  currently serves as a missionary in the U.S. with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ).  With over 34 years of experience in global missions, collegiate ministry, event planning, direct discipleship and mentoring, he has served thousands of staff and students around the world and here in the U.S.

He is currently working with Family Life, Cru's family ministry, where his focus is ministering to widowers, single dads and blended families.  His first wife of 19 years, Nancy, who was also with Cru, died in 2017 of a rare cancer, leaving Glen as a single dad of their two boys and two girls, all under the age of 13 at the time.  In 2022, Glen married Heather, a single mom of three boys.  Their seven children and two dogs live in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis.

Besides a full life with a big family that enjoys the outdoors, camping, and hiking together, Glen occasionally finds time for modern board games, pinball and connecting with his closest friends.

Nancy Hertz Just - A Journey of Faith

Cru

Check out our Facebook page; find us on Instagram or send us an email at [email protected]. You can also watch this episode on YouTube!