When a relationship with your child starts to feel distant, the pain can be overwhelming and the questions endless. Where did things go wrong? How do you reach out without pushing them further away? And is there hope for healing?

In this episode of the Upstream Podcast, Joy sits down with Glenn Leutchens from Focus on the Family to talk honestly about navigating strained or distant relationships with your child. Together, they explore what parents can do when communication breaks down, how to respond with grace instead of fear, and why patience, humility, and prayer matter more than having all the right answers.

Whether your child has emotionally pulled away, set firm boundaries, or completely cut off communication, this conversation offers encouragement, biblical wisdom, and practical next steps for parents who are longing for restoration but don’t know where to begin.

If you’re carrying the weight of a broken or distant relationship with your child, this episode reminds you that you’re not alone—and that hope is still possible.

Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

In today's episode, Joy speaks with Joel Wharton & Ashley Chickerella of Take Heart Cancer Community about how Cancer has impacted their lives, and how they got involved with Take Heart. If you or someone you know is battling Cancer, this episode is for you! Now, let's go UpStream.

To Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

Learn more about Take Heart Cancer Community - https://www.takeheartcommunity.org/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

In today's episode, Joy talks with Greg and Julie Murray about their experience dealing with ALS through Julie's Mom. They share the first initial signs, and what it was like walking through her passing. If you are or have been impacted by ALS, this episode is for you.

To connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

In today's episode, Joy sits down with Brenda Craft as she shares her journey of caring for her Husband Kelly as he battled ALS, and how they navigated the tough moments, and appreciated the good ones. If you or someone you know has dealt with the loss of a spouse, this episode is for you. Now, let's go UpStream.

To Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

In today's episode, Joy speaks with David Mahan, Policy Director with the Center for Christian Virtue. They walk through the causes in declining marriage and birth rates, and why limiting screen time for your children is a necessity.

Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

It can be a challenge when your child cuts you off completely for reasons either known or unknown. In today's episode, Joy talks with Brenda Huerta, a counselor with Focus on the Family on how to handle the broken relationship with your child, and how to help restore the bond.

Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

1 in 5 Americans deal with Mental Illness annually. In today's episode, Joy talks with Tracie Bayer, from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as she walks through her own personal battles, and how her faith helped her through some of her darkest moments.

Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

If you are struggling with your mental health, please reach out for help - https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!

Navigating your role in your blended family can be tough. In this episode, Joy talks with Deanna Thayer, a blended family Coach with Focus on the Family about how to handle discipline, roles, and the emotions that come with being in a blended family.

Connect with a River Chaplain - https://riverradio.com/chaplains/

A devotional podcast for parents on the go! Encouragement, Scripture, & prayer in just 7 minutes. Join the journey!