THE ROAD FORWARD - MAY 10th, 2026

Summary

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Real America’s Voice: "The Road Forward" — May 10, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

This Mother’s Day and National Day of Prayer special brings together leading voices from faith, parenting, and public policy to discuss America’s cultural crossroads, the significance of faith in public life, ongoing global challenges, and the profound role of mothers—especially amid rising mental health concerns. Host Dr. Tim Clinton guides conversations with Gary Bauer (American Values), Dr. Meg Meeker (pediatrician, author), Bishop Kelvin Coberis, and Becky Thompson (“Midnight Mom Devotional”), centering on hope, cultural resilience, and the enduring influence of nurturing mothers.

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Key Segments & Insights

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Opening Reflections & National Challenges

[03:18–06:02] Dr. Tim Clinton

• Celebrates National Day of Prayer and its theme: “Glorify God Among the Nations”, based on 1 Chronicles 16:24.
• Notes the upcoming America 250 and Rededicate 250 events marking the nation's founding.
• Highlights:
  • Ongoing Middle East tensions, U.S. force posture, hope for peace with Iran.
  • Mother’s Day: “No man is poor who had a godly mother.” – Abraham Lincoln
  • May as Mental Health Awareness Month, with childhood anxiety and depression noted as key issues.

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1. Gary Bauer — Middle East, Leadership, and the Role of Mothers

[06:02–13:31]

U.S.–Iran Tensions & Presidential Decisions

[06:25–09:00]

• Bauer praises "President Trump’s" decisive actions and willingness to endure political cost for national security.
  • “We don’t know what the final outcome is going to be, but we know that Iran has been in many ways taught a lesson.” (Gary Bauer, 06:48)
• Criticizes Democratic leadership for “rooting for Iran” and undermining U.S. unity.
  • “Almost the entire Democrat Party seem to be rooting for Iran... I’ve never seen anything like this since the darkest days of the Vietnam War.” (Gary Bauer, 07:50)

Marco Rubio’s Leadership

[09:00–10:03]

• Praises Secretary Rubio—formerly opponent of Trump—for evolving and joining forces to further religious liberty.
  • “Both men have been improved by knowing each other and being with each other on the same team.” (Gary Bauer, 09:39)

Midterms, Gas Prices, and Economic Outlook

[10:03–12:11]

• Emphasizes sensitivity to family pain around rising inflation and fuel costs.
  • “There’s a lot of families living paycheck to paycheck... But the good news is all the signs point that...prices are going to come down.” (Gary Bauer, 10:48; 11:32)

The Powerful Role of Mothers

[12:11–13:31]

• Decries minimizing stay-at-home mothers: “What a joke. What a horrible thing to say...our mothers bring us things that only a mother can bring and our fathers bring us things that only fathers can bring.” (Gary Bauer, 12:29)
• Warns that the absence of either parent comes at great social cost.
• Closes with: “God bless moms.”

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2. Dr. Meg Meeker — Motherhood, Anxiety, and Hope

[17:43–27:16]

Modern Motherhood: More Challenging Than Ever

[18:01–18:58]

• Comments on the complexity and information overload facing today’s mothers.
  • “Mothers have a much more challenging time today... the world has gotten so complex.” (Dr. Meg Meeker, 18:23)

Family Estrangement and Cultural Drift

[18:58–20:30]

• Increasing estrangement, sometimes encouraged by culture, is damaging for mothers and especially for children’s mental health.

"10 Habits of a Happy Mom" and the Tyranny of Fear

[20:30–22:40]

• Top advice: Give up fear.
  • “Mothers are consumed with anxiety that something’s going to go wrong with their child and it’s going to be their fault.” (Dr. Meg Meeker, 21:26)
• The constant comparison and information access heighten anxiety—often unnecessarily.

The Importance of Female Friendships

[22:40–24:06]

• “Mothers need to have two or three close women friends...women need that woman connection.” (Dr. Meg Meeker, 23:13)
• Loneliness among mothers is real and pervasive—not just for kids.

Mother’s Day for Those Suffering Loss or Estrangement

[24:06–26:07]

• Encourages leaning on faith: “It’s really important to cling to the Lord and ask him to fill that empty space in your heart.” (Dr. Meg Meeker, 24:55)
• God is attentive to mothers’ prayers, especially those who suffer or who haven’t been able to have children.

Affirmation and Blessing for Mothers

[26:07–27:16]

• “God wires mothers with everything they need to be a great mom.” (Dr. Meg Meeker, 26:07)
• Emphasizes the biblical example of Jesus’s tenderness to women, especially mothers.

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3. Bishop Kelvin Coberis — Prayer, Courage, and Honoring Mothers

[27:44–39:25]

National Day of Prayer: Foundations & Unity

[27:58–29:37]

• Celebrates the power of unified national prayer and Judeo-Christian roots.
  • “What an exciting time together.” (Bishop Kelvin Coberis, 28:22)

National Anxiety, Violence, and Mental Health

[29:37–31:42]

• Recognizes widespread fear given ongoing violence and mental health struggles, especially among youth.
• Urges reliance on faith for security and strength.
  • “Timidity and fear is an attack of the enemy to isolate us...But when you stand fearless and stand courageous...the Holy Spirit...empowers you more to carry out that cause.” (Bishop Kelvin Coberis, 30:15)

Mother’s Love: A Personal Tribute

[31:42–34:25]

• Emotional retelling: Mother’s faith and prayers held the family together after divorce, modeled dignity and commitment.
  • “She put his [my father’s] picture in the middle of a prayer circle that we prayed over every day... Because of those prayers, years later, God allowed me to lead my father to Jesus Christ.” (Bishop Kelvin Coberis, 32:22)
• Stresses lived wisdom > theory: “It’s one thing to use [Proverbs 31] as a poem of poetry, but it’s another thing to see that type of wisdom live before you day in and day out.” (Bishop Kelvin Coberis, 33:14)

Nation’s Spiritual Rededication & a Call to Stand

[34:25–39:21]

• Reflects on significance of America 250 “Rededicate” event; roots of American freedom.
• Cites Ephesians 6—spiritual struggle, not partisan: “This battle is not between party affiliations...this fight is against an enemy already defeated by Jesus Christ...stand with your convictions, courage, and faith.” (Bishop Kelvin Coberis, 38:21)

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4. Becky Thompson — Midnight Mom Devotional, Overwhelmed Women, and the Need for Community

[41:34–53:28]

The Midnight Mom Movement

[41:38–42:33]

• Describes multi-generational prayer community for mothers in their “midnight moments” of exhaustion or struggle.
  • “Midnight isn’t just a time on the clock. It can be a whole season that feels heavy or hard.” (Becky Thompson, 41:58)

Overwhelmed Moms: Letting Go & Trusting God

[43:39–47:19]

• Shares powerful biblical metaphor: Like Moses’s mother, modern moms do everything possible to protect children in an insecure world, but must ultimately trust God.

  • “...we have done everything we know how to do to keep our kids safe...but it’s never our own efforts alone that keep them from sinking...it’s the hand of God that upholds them.” (Becky Thompson, 44:46)

• Cites rising vulnerability and honesty among mothers about daily overwhelm.

  • “It’s not just too hard for me daily, it’s too hard for me moment by moment, hour by hour. I don’t even know if I can keep breathing.” (Becky Thompson, 46:12)

Personal Journey Through Anxiety

[47:19–51:11]

• Candid sharing of her struggles with anxiety—especially intensified by motherhood.
  • “Anxiety was crippling... going to the store, going to loud places...I felt like it was hard to breathe.” (Becky Thompson, 48:56)
• The Lord gave her a vision: women “lost in a forest of fear”—inspired her book and ministry.

The Danger of Isolation and the Gift of Community

[51:11–53:21]

• Stresses the power of community—online and in-person—as antidote to loneliness and mental health decline.

  • “Women that need community the most often have circumstances that keep them from accessing it... online spaces and programs can be a lifeline.” (Becky Thompson, 51:43)

• Encourages all moms to connect with those ahead and behind them in their journey.

• For more: midnightmomdevotional.com

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (With Timestamps)

• “No man is poor who had a godly mother.” – Abraham Lincoln quoted by Dr. Tim Clinton [03:13]
• “This president makes decisions to help our country, even if they're politically difficult and may politically harm him.” – Gary Bauer [06:48]
• “It's one thing to use [Proverbs 31] as a poem of poetry, but it's another thing to see that type of wisdom live before you day in and day out.” – Bishop Kelvin Coberis [33:14]
• “Mothers are consumed with anxiety that something's going to go wrong with their child and it's going to be their fault.” – Dr. Meg Meeker [21:26]
• “Midnight isn't just a time on the clock. It can be a whole season that feels heavy or hard or overwhelming.” – Becky Thompson [41:58]
• “But truly for all women... link arms and continue to walk through this life together. And that's just so important mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.” – Becky Thompson [52:20]
• “After you've done everything... stand.” – Bishop Kelvin Coberis quoting Ephesians 6 [38:21]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:18] National Day of Prayer & Mother's Day Opening Reflections
• [06:02] Gary Bauer on Iran, Leadership, Economy
• [12:11] Gary Bauer on the Impact of Mothers
• [17:43] Dr. Meg Meeker on Motherhood Today
• [20:53] "Give Up Fear"—Happy Mom Habits
• [24:30] Faith and Healing for Mothers in Pain
• [27:44] Bishop Kelvin Coberis on Prayer and Fearless Faith
• [32:22] Bishop Coberis’s Mother’s Influence and Legacy
• [35:46] Reflections on America’s Rededication
• [38:21] Spiritual Warfare—A Call to Stand Firm
• [41:34] Becky Thompson: Origins of the Midnight Mom Devotional
• [43:39] Letting Go & Trusting God in Parenting
• [47:19] Thompson’s Journey Through Anxiety and Message of Hope
• [51:42] Community as Lifeline—Practical Wisdom for Moms

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Tone and Language

The episode remains earnest, empathetic, and faith-centered; speakers balance national urgency and gravitas with warmth and encouragement. Personal vulnerability is valued, with honest dialogue about fear, loss, and mental health, yet consistently rooted in hope, Scripture, and American faith traditions.

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Conclusion

The episode honors the legacy and ongoing impact of American mothers, highlights the pressures of modern parenthood, and faces both national and personal anxieties by rooting hope in faith, community, and courageous leadership. Listeners are encouraged to honor mothers, strengthen community ties, and seek God and each other for support, whatever the season.

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Transcript

[Becky Thompson]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Podcast Announcer]

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[Dr. Tim Clinton]

See full [e-mail] welcome to Real America's Voice. This is Sunday the Road Forward. Stay with us as we discuss the intersection of faith, culture and everyday life. An incredible lineup, word of hope and encouragement for you and those you love, especially in these challenging and difficult times. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. I'll be your host. Our special guest joining us this week, he is the president of American Values and senior Vice president for Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary Bauer is with us and she is a leading authority on parenting, teens and children's health. Pediatrician, mother, best selling author Dr. Meg Meeker is back with us and he is lead pastor of New Life Church International Plant City, Florida. Bishop Calvin Koberis is with us. She is the best selling author and founder of the Facebook Midnight mom devotional community, more than 2 million followers. Becky Thompson's with us. Thanks for watching.

[Becky Thompson]

Christ the Lord,

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

for he alone is worthy. For we alone is worthy. Well, President Trump has paused Project Freedom while the US Continues to enforce the blockade there in the straits. Hopefully we're getting to a peaceful resolution in the war with Iran. And this week we celebrated the National Day of Prayer. The theme glorify God among the nations, seeking him in all generations. The theme verse was from 1 Chronicles 16:24 tell of his glory among the nations, his wonderful deeds among all the peoples. And faith leaders, dignitaries, people from all of America also came together this week to join in prayer for our country. A very moving day, the National Day of prayer. Hey, America's in a full court press with America 250 celebrations this weekend. Coming up May 17th on the National Ball in Washington, D.C. hosting Rededicate 250, a National Jubilee of prayer, praise and thanksgiving featuring key government officials and faith leaders from all over. You could come join Christians from all across the country and be a part of this historic. Learn [e-mail] that's rededicate250.org and this is Mother's Day weekend. Happy Mother's Day. Special day to encourage, inspire and to love on and celebrate. Mom. Abraham Lincoln once said this. He was convinced that no man is poor who had a godly mother. We can't forget also that May is Mental Health Awareness Month, shedding some light on this exploding area of culture. With soaring rates of anxiety, depression, even suicidality showing up, especially among our kids, one thing is certain, we always have hope. Our hope, our strength, our power comes from the Lord. Here's a great verse to hold on to this Mother's Day week. Proverbs chapter 31, verses 28 and 29. Her children rise up. They call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. Many women have done excellently, but you have surpassed them all. Hey, get ready as we jump headfirst into our discussions here on Sunday, the road forward. I'm going to pray and we're going to get started. God be with us. Bless our time here. Use this broadcast for your glory. Thank you for your goodness and grace in our lives. Thank you for our country. Lead us. Go before us in Jesus name. Amen. Let's get started.

[Podcast Announcer]

For more encouragement and to stay connected, follow Dr. Tim Klint on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Joining us now is Gary Bauer. Bauer served in President Ronald Reagan's administration for eight years as under secretary of education and chief domestic policy advisor. Today he serves as president of American Values and educational nonprofit located right there in Washington, D.C. he's also senior vice president of Public policy for the Dr. James Dobson family Institute. Gary, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

[Gary Bauer]

Thank you, Tim. It's always great to be with you.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Gary, let's start out by looking at the Middle East Iran. This week, President Trump launched Project Freedom. He also paused it, but they are continuing to enforce the blockade. Looking like, Gary, maybe we're going to get to some type of resolution. Certainly we're prayerful that that would happen. But just a quick take from you on what's happening over there.

[Gary Bauer]

Yeah. You know, the thing changes by the hour, as we all know, and the, the headlines are out of date before the ink is dry. But what, what's not out of date is why this president is different from virtually every president before him. This president makes decisions to help our country, even if they're politically difficult and may politically harm him. And so he knew that a future president that woke up one morning and discovered that now Iran had a nuclear arsenal and was threatening the United States, that would be a disaster. So he took action. And we don't know what the final outcome is going to be, but we know that Iran has been in many ways taught a lesson. We see the strength of the United States. I think it's going to he'll get some kind of deal. Whether it's a final deal or not remains to be seen. But these carpers on Capitol Hill, almost the entire Democrat Party seem to be rooting for Iran. Tim, I've never seen anything like this since the darkest days of the Vietnam War. But that was after the war had been raging for eight or nine years. The Democrat Party on this went south within a week or so. And by doing that, they have encouraged the radical Islamic government of Iran to continue to resist because they know they've got friends here in Washington, D.C. gary,

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

I really appreciate, I don't know what you're thinking, but Secretary Rubio, his work has been pretty miraculous, marvelous. He's got quite a, you know, presence to him this week. He pounded the UN and others for not stepping up, etc. But he is reinforcing exactly what you just said. It was serious. It was beyond serious. It had to be dealt with Iran. I mean, if they had a nuclear weapon, everything, the entire game would change. Everything that we hoped we could resolve would have been wiped out. We'd have been in a very precarious situation. Gary, but your thoughts on Secretary Rubio?

[Gary Bauer]

Yeah, I've known Secretary Rubio for many, many years. And for full disclosure, our oldest daughter worked for him for a number of years on a congressional commission whose purpose was to promote religious liberty in Communist China. So I can't help but think back at the Republican presidential debates, what I think it's fair to say that then Senator Rubio and Donald Trump had a few bad moments. I mean, they went at each other like cats and dogs. But as is often the case, I think both men have been improved by knowing each other and being with each other on the same team and, broadly speaking, fighting for the same thing. So President Trump has a couple more years. I think he'll remain a presence on the American political stage. But I also think that Marco Rubio is emerging as somebody that will have a major role in the years and decades ahead.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Gary, you indicated that President Trump was making some decisions that might cost him a little bit with the, the American public. Let's go straight to the midterm issue. That's what we're talking about.

[Gary Bauer]

Yes.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

And we're also talking about people showing up at the gas pump right now. I was at the gas pump this week and put a little gas in my truck, 106 bucks. I'm like, oh, here we go. You know, it was like 429 a gallon back. You're seeing some movement with some states, you know, trying to get help to the American public. But, Gary, what's your take on all of this? Do you think we'll get this under control? The gas prices come back down pretty quick? That probably would really encourage everyone.

[Gary Bauer]

Yes, I think everybody's looking for that. You know, Tim, I think we have to be really careful not to ever sound cavalier. You. You didn't sound cavalier. But sometimes people on our side say, well, what's the big difference, you know, 10, 10 bucks more, 20 bucks more after you fill up? Well, there's a lot of families, you know, literally living paycheck to paycheck. I grew up in a family like that where the bills lasted two weeks, but the paycheck only lasted about half that. And I remember my parents sitting at the kitchen table trying to figure out which bill got paid and which one didn't. There's still millions of families like that. So the good news is this has been a difficult period. But the good news is all the signs point that are not only are the prices going to come down and I think pretty quickly, but we're headed, I think, to actually a great new era of energy independence and lower energy prices. We're exporting more gas or more oil right now than ever before because of what's going on in the Middle East. All the big oil companies have got big, big drilling plans. So America is, is energy secure. And I believe that the family budgets of the American people will be more secure before the end of the summer.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Gary, closing thought. The hand that rocks the cradle still rules the world. As the old adage says, thank God for the prayers of our mothers for each and every one of us. Gary, you know that save the grace of God, there go I. But, but just some closing thoughts on moms.

[Gary Bauer]

You know, I, I over the years I've heard many people say, well, what does so and so do? Oh, she's, she's just a stay at home mother or she's got a bunch of kids. She really hasn't done anything else. What a joke. What a, what a horrible thing to say. Without women, this country, of course, would be in deep trouble. We learn from the various early moments from our mother, others what matters. God made us in a way where our mothers bring us things that only a mother can bring and our fathers bring us things that only fathers can bring. A good bit of the problems facing our country is because millions of children are lacking either a mother or father at home. And the cost of that to those children and to our society. Overhaul is hard to calculate, but we're paying a terrible price for it. So God bless moms.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

You bet. Gary Bauer, always great to have you. Thank you for joining me.

[Gary Bauer]

Great to be with you.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Coming up next, she has a leading authority on parenting, teens and children's health, pediatrician, mother, best selling author, Dr. Meg Meeker is back with us. Do people ever come to you asking for help, maybe hope, encouragement? How about for prayer? Do you ever wish you understood the issues better that people were wrestling with or how to use the Bible more effectively in caring for people? If so, I'd love to get a copy of our Caring Counsel Bible in Your Hands featuring 116 topics written by some of the world's leading mental health and ministry experts, I think you're going to love it. It covers today's most challenging issues in every phase of life. This Bible provides clinical expertise and insights on topics like discouragement, abuse, depression, divorce, anxiety, abortion and so much more. So you can learn more about these issues and how to use again the Bible more effectively. How to share passages of Scripture with others maybe sitting down over a cup of coffee or maybe it's just a resource to help you get through a tough time. You know what I love most about this Bible? It's so easy to use you right up front are going to find an index with subjects, key passages of Scripture, personality profiles and so much more. The Care and Counsel Bible is retailing for $85, but we're going to make it available to you right now, our listeners and viewers for just $50 plus shipping. Again, I think you're going to love it. For more information about how to get this Bible right now, go to careandcselsel.com that's careandcselsel.com join tens of thousands of people have received this beautiful new King James Version Caring Counsel Bible. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the American association of Christian Counselors. Get your copy of the Care and Counsel Bible right now at our special price while supplies last. Go to careandcouncil.com that's careandcouncil.com support for

[Podcast Announcer]

the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment, recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comdisclosures Ever wonder

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[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Joining us now is practicing pediatrician, speaker, bestselling author Dr. Meg Meeker. For over 30 years, she has dedicated her life to helping build strong parents, build strong children. She's the author of six books, speaks to thousands of families of all shapes and sizes. Dr. Meg welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Thank you for having me, Tim.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

As we get started, Meg, Happy Mother's Day to you. They say that life didn't come with a manual, it came with a mother. The truth is, motherhood I don't think probably has been more challenging or more significant than right now. Meg, you've written a lot about moms and sons and moms and daughters. Just some reflections from your heart as we look at this Mother's Day.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Yeah, well, I love Mother's Day. Of course, we've got four grown kids and a bunch of grandkids. But I do think that mothers have a much more challenging time today than they did a generation ago when I was raising my kids, because the world has gotten so complex. There's so much information hitting mothers, hitting kids. And I think that I really do feel sorry for young mothers today because it feels like they're just very confused with so much information coming at them.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Meg, in the midst of culture right now, we're hearing a lot of about estrangement, where there's a lot of conflict and tension and some people are going, no contact, all kinds of stuff. And it's kind of it's really sad to me. You come back to this bond and you know how important it is. It's devastating in a lot of ways. What do you see happening there, Meg? And maybe some words of encouragement to moms to really press in and do all they can to keep that thing strong.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Yeah, well, I think that estrangement from a child comes particularly. Well, their mothers are particularly vulnerable to it if there's a divorce situation or there's a lot of animosity in a marriage because, you know, the mothers tend to get. Get torn away from the child as well as the dad is torn away from the child. And I think that particularly as kids get older, even in a married situation, mothers can feel estranged from their kids because in a way, our culture encourages separation between mothers and children. Kids learn that they don't really need to listen to their parents. Their parents don't know anything. Of course, I'm talking about more junior high and high school. And there's a lot working in a mother and a child's life that pushes the two of them apart. And of course this is devastating to mothers, but it's particularly devastating to children as far as their mental health.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Yeah. Meg, you've written a book called the 10 Habits of a Happy mom and can't go through all them, but if you were to just kind of shake through it all real quick. And could you give us the top maybe one or two that really stand out for you? You said, ah, that's probably a critical piece right there. Get this thing right right here and it'll impact everything else.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Yeah, well, I think for me the top one is Give up fear. Mothers are very anxious. They're very anxious because they feel, they're afraid that something's going to go wrong for their child or that they're going to miss the mark. They're going to give the child the wrong formula, they're going to put the child in the wrong crib, they're going to buy the wrong car seat. They're not going to buy all of the. That every child needs to develop right. When their kids are in school, they're not going to be in the right sport. They also tend to compare themselves to other mothers and other mothers children. Susie's son is playing soccer and he's a star in the soccer team in seventh grade. And my son won't even do any sports. So mothers are very, very anxious that their kids aren't going to turn out right and it's going to be their fault or that they're going to their kids. And this is really destroying happiness in mother's enjoyment with their kids. Mothers are very afraid they're going to miss an illness, for instance. And there's so much information that the moment their child has a speech delay or a headache or whatever, they go right to the Internet and they can find an answer that suits their fear, if you want. And then they come in and see their pediatrician and say, I'm so afraid my child's in language. I'm so afraid my child has headaches, they have a brain tumor. And so mothers are consumed with anxiety that something's going to go wrong with their child and it's going to be their fault. And I work very hard at helping mothers give up that fear.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

That's a big deal. It really is, Meg, along with it. There's not a lot of affirmation except when they love you back, you know what I'm saying? But you look to the importance of outside friendships, relationships. And a lot of moms, they're not just anxious, they're also lonely. Yes, it's easy to get lost, if you will, in all the responsibilities to pull back and be always task oriented and locked down. Can you address that?

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Yeah, absolutely. I think that women need women friendships, particularly during those early marriage years and later. And then also it's very important while they're raising their children. Mothers don't need a lot of friends, they don't need to be super social, but they need to have two or three close women friends who are not competitive with them where they can say, you know, I'm really struggling with this, I'm really struggling with this. Or my, my husband wants to discipline this way and I want to discipline that way. And women need that women connection to really help them navigate the difficult times of parenting and particularly in marriage too, so they don't feel so lonely. But loneliness is a very big deal for mothers, not just teenagers and kids. But it's very important for mothers to avoid loneliness by working hard at one or two good friendships.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Meg, a lot of people are going to be celebrating this Mother's Day and a part of that for some it's not a, you know, not necessarily a good day for them. Maybe they've gone through a recent loss or they are dealing with maybe a painful past as it comes to mom or it could be they're struggling with infertility or something. Meg, what do you say to those women?

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

You know, there is so much loss and sadness surrounding Mother's Day, but what I would encourage mothers to do Is say, you know, this is where it's really important to cling to God, to cling to the Lord and say, you know, I don't understand why I can't have a child. I. I don't understand why my child died. I'm in tremendous pain, and I feel jealous of a lot of other mothers out there. But just to come to the Lord in a lot of deep prayer and say, please, I'm really struggling. Can you help me here? Can you help me get through this period? And God always does, because when you know, you're in that much pain in your life and you feel jealous of a lot of women around you who seem to have these lovely children and you don't, really important to cling to the Lord and ask him to fill that empty space in your heart. And he does.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Meg. My mother, she had to pray a lot for this boy.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

She did. Yeah.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

There's that old hymn, My Mother's Something. My mother's prayers have followed me, and I remember as a boy hearing that often sung during church service on Sundays, and it would take me back to her a lot. And the prayers of a mother and the nurturing love of a mother, they mean so much. Meg. I kind of want to close out this segment of just a word of encouragement to all the moms out there, a celebration of who they are and the gift that God is in and through them to their children.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

You know, God created every mother to be who she is to her children. And God doesn't make mistakes. God wires mothers with everything they need to be a great mom. So if you have the. If you had the privilege of being a mother, I would just say, you know, thank the Lord. God is so attentive to the prayers of a mother. Look, the way Jesus cared for women in the New Testament, how he talked with women, but. But he's particularly tender towards the women who aren't able to have children. And so I would just encourage women, if you've had a mother and you don't have children, or if you were estranged from your mother but you do have children, just to embrace what you have today and to recognize that God put you right in this place right at this time, and he didn't make a mistake when he did that.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Yeah. Dr. Meg Meeker, always great to have you. Happy Mother's Day. And we'll throw in Grandmother's Day, too, on top of it, you know, just for fun.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

We count. Thank you, Tim.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Bless you. Thank you for joining me.

[Becky Thompson]

Bye.

[Dr. Meg Meeker]

Bye.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Coming up next, he is lead pastor of New Life Church International, Plant City, Florida. Bishop Calvin Koberis is with us.

[Podcast Announcer]

For more encouragement and to stay connected, follow Dr. Tim Clinton on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Joining us now is Bishop Kelvin Coberis. He currently serves as lead pastor of New Life Church International in Plant City, Florida. He's a member of the National Faith Advisory Board, a strong voice for righteousness and culture. Bishop, welcome back. Thank you for joining me.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Thank you for having me, Dr. Clinton.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

As we get started, Bishop, this week, National Day of Prayer. Big deal. A lot of people gathered up in Washington, D.C. people crying out to God. Pretty moving. The National Day of Prayer theme was glorify God among nations, seeking him in all generations. Bishop can't think of a time that we need prayer more for our nation than right now.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

It's times like this, Dr. Cleen, that makes me excited about being an American. To know that we were founded upon Judeo Christian values. And in a moment of taking a day of National Day of Prayer to reflect upon the goodness of God and seek his guidance, protection, and direction. And that's what that Thursday was all about. Everybody gathering together, seeking the face of God on behalf of the nation. What an exciting time together.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Bishop I'm always encouraged when people of faith come together. Just reminds people you're not alone. People know, hey, listen, we. We cry out to God, but, boy, it's encouraging when you're brushing shoulders with people and the energy, you can feel it. You know that. And you love being around people who just have a common commitment and to think and know that like our founding fathers, you know, our rights don't come from government, they come from God. That's what this country was founded on. That's what we stand on. And I know there's a lot of pushback, Bishop but that's a good day at the office.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Yeah, it was a great day. And like you said, there's nothing like being in the room with your tribe of people that believe what you believe, stand where you stand. And we're praying to the same God on behalf of the blessings and the continued prosperity of our country.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

You know, a common theme, though, Bishop, was there's a lot of fear and concern. You know, that with these shootings that have been going on, this violent stuff that's raging from that radical left, it just, it has everyone's attention. Bishop People are worried again, constantly about maybe another act of terrorism in our bedroom communities that just put the fear of God in everybody. And, Bishop, this is Mental Health Awareness Month. We know. And you and I've talked about this a lot. Depression, anxiety, even suicidality, they're off the charts, especially among our kids. Bishop, how do you speak a word of calmness into all this?

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Well, what I want to speak this. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? And we know that timidity and fear is an attack of the enemy to isolate us, to cause us to be paralyzed from fulfilling our purpose. But there's something that the President said the other day when another attempted assassin came into the Washington Hilton after him and his administration. When the media said, why would you still go out knowing that people are after your life? He said, it's a part of the job. When I look at what you and I do, when I look at what the President do, when I look at the callings of upon our life, we're not called to be popular, we're not called to be favored. We're called to stand for truth and the gospel. And because of that, it can cost your life, it can cost friends, it can cost you circles of influence. But the reality is when you stand fearless and stand courageous, that's when that emboldened nature allows the Holy Spirit to empower you more to carry out that cause and to encourage others, that during this time of crisis and terror and radical left actions, that we will not be moved, but we will stand our ground. And I want to say from a mental health reflection point that that's not to eliminate the fact of how things make us feel. We have to know that even in those moments, we're to cave into the presence of the Lord and to know that our security and our safety and our well being is found in a deeper relationship with Him. And the more we pray and the more we seek him and the more we allow him to cover us and spew his wisdom into us, we can make it through these moments and times.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Yeah. Bishop. President Abraham Lincoln said, my mother was the making of me. Here we are on Mother's Day weekend. And Bishop, I know you've got a tender side to you right now because you experienced the recent loss of your mother and it went deep into your heart. But, Bishop, just some reflections from you. You know, a lot of moms don't get much. They don't get much affirmation, but the hand that rocks the cradle, as they say, still rules the world. Bishop. The importance, significance and the beauty of mother's love and prayers.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

The beauty of my mother's love in prayer is this. Most people would think that the great bishop Cabarrus grew up in a home where a father and mother was present. But unfortunately, at five years of age, my parents divorced. And my mother was such a woman of God and woman of faith that she never used that platform as a platform to dismantle my father and his manhood or discredit him. But she put his picture in the middle of a prayer circle that we prayed over every day. And we prayed for him and prayed for his well being and prayed that God would guide his life. And it was because of those prayers that years later, God allowed me to lead my father to Jesus Christ. And before he died, I made sure that he was eternally secure. And I was able to preach his funeral with the confidence that he died in Christ. And that reflects the type of mother I had. A woman of faith, a woman of dignity, a woman of love, a woman of commitment. And everything that I see in myself, the courage, the stance, the convictions, it all comes from having a mother that modeled that before my brother and I. And I know that a lot of women love to use Proverbs 31 during this time. And by all means, if that's your reflection for your mother, that's great. But it's one thing to use it as a poem of poetry, but it's another thing to see that type of wisdom live before you day in and day out. And for all my life, I had a godly woman that even when she could not teach me how to be a man, she brought me to the elders of the church and allowed me to be taught at the foot of the priests and the prophets so that I could become the man that I am today. And while I am broken this weekend that she's not with me, I have not lost her because I know where she is. And what's going to get me through this weekend is the legacy that she left for me to be led by. And I will continue to make her proud by upholding God's truth, serving our country and serving mankind. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers. Love your mother while you have her. And if your mother has passed on, hold on to the reflection and the memory of the goodness that God gave you through her.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Boy Bishop, listening to you, I had some reflections in my own heart about my mother. And before my mother passed, and she's been gone since 1996. But before, before she passed, I had put together a special Mother's Day program, a tribute to moms. It's highly emotionally moving and I sent it to her as a gift, just as a way to say thank you, Mom. And Bishop, My mother lost her eyesight late in life and she really struggled. But that recording, she said to me, tim, I probably listened to it 50 times. Yeah, hey, we need to honor our moms. And I love what I'm seeing out there. We win this battle in culture, one home, one mom, strong moment. And by the way, we need dads. But today, we're honoring moms at a time. Bishop, what a moving piece there. Bishop, you're going to be speaking at an upcoming event next weekend called Rededicate America250 on the Mall, Washington, D.C. it's an important event. Faith leaders coming together and dignitaries, heads of state. Everybody's showing up. This is going to be a big deal. Talk to us a little bit about just your reflections on America in this hour.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Dr. Tim first of all, I'm humbled, I am so humbled by the opportunity to be asked out of all the great voices in America, to be asked to stand amongst generals, to speak in these moments during this 250 year rededication of America. I'm proud that our president would be directed by the spirit of God to allow us to have such an event on the Mall and to have the opportunity to speak of what America has been, what America is and who America will be in time to come. And I believe that our foundation was shaped by faith in God, our now, because of the leadership that we had, it continues to point back to God. And I believe because of the climate that we're in now and a leader that is pointing us to God and standing firm on the faith of America, I believe that our future, despite all of the threats, the evil and all of the confusion, is going to point us back to the faith that founded us. And then people will realize that that's how we prosper. That's how we continue to be successful. That's how we continue to build on being the America that we were in the past, the America that we are now, and the America that we are becoming is by relying on the foundation of faith in God. And I can't wait to share the subject matter that they gave. I can't talk about it right now, but if I were you, I would get there on May 17th at the mall. And don't you miss one moment of worship. Don't you miss one speaker, because this day is going to redirect us, rededicate us and relaunch us to fulfill the promises that God has for us.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

What it must have been like 250 years ago for those founding fathers to sign those documents, to stand emboldened together to think about, hey, we, we want to be a nation under God. And now, 250 years later, to put a stake in the ground again and say, hey, we're going to rededicate America. Yes, right now in the midst of this chaos, the storm we've been in, that we know where our rights and freedoms do come from, and we want to celebrate those. Make sure you, hey, make sure you put that down on your calendar. May 17th, Washington, D.C. on the Mall. Participate any way you can. Bishop, want to close out this way. We see a lot of violence, a lot of pain, a lot of chaos, confusion. There's going to be real efforts coming against people of faith. This is a moment where we press in now more than ever, just closing reflections and thoughts.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Paul writes to the church at ephesus in Ephesians 6. Finally, brother, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole arm of God that you'll be able to stand against the wiles, the schemes of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness and principalities and rulers and powers in high places. And after you've done all you can stand, that's what I want to say to the church today. This battle is not between party affiliations. It's not between people groups. It's not between each other. This fight is against an enemy that's already been defeated by Jesus Christ's death on the cross and his resurrection. And I want you to stand in resurrection power and not cower, not cave in, but be courageous enough that after you've done everything that you can stand with your convictions, stand with your courage, stand in your faith, knowing that the battle that is against us is already won and we have the victory.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

The battle is the Lord's. Amen and amen. Bishop Kelvin Coberis, thank you for joining me.

[Bishop Kelvin Coberis]

Thank you.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Coming up next, she is the bestselling author and founder of the Facebook Midnight mom devotional community. More than 2 million followers. Becky Thompson's with us. Do people ever come to you asking for help? Maybe hope, encouragement? How about for prayer? Do you ever wish you understood the issues better that people were wrestling with or how to use the Bible more effectively in caring for people? If so, I'd love to get a copy of our caring counsel Bible in Your Hands, featuring 116 topics written by some of the world's leading mental health and ministry experts. I think you're going to love it. It covers today's most challenging issues in every phase of life. This Bible provides clinical expertise and insights on topics like like discouragement, abuse, depression, divorce, anxiety, abortion and so much more. So you can learn more about these issues and how to use again the Bible more effectively. How to share passages of Scripture with others maybe sitting down over a cup of coffee or maybe it's just a resource to help you get through a tough time. You know what I love most about this Bible? It's so easy to use. You right up front are going to find an index with subjects, key passages of scripture, personality profiles and so much more. The Karen Council Bible is retailing for $85 but we're going to make it available to you right now, our listeners and viewers for just $50 plus shipping. Again, I think you're going to love it. For more information about how to get this Bible right now, go to care. That's careand Counsel. Join. Tens of thousands of people have received this beautiful new King James Version Caring Counsel Bible. I'm Dr. Tim Clinton, President of the American association of Christian Counselors. Get your copy of the CARE and Counsel Bible right now at our special price. While supplies last. Go to careandcouncil.com that's careandcouncil.com joining us now is Becky Thompson, best selling author, creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community gathering over 2 million moms in nightly prayer. Becky, welcome back.

[Becky Thompson]

Thank you for joining me, Dr. Clinton. It is always an honor. I'm so happy to be here.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Well, talking with you, one of my favorite subjects is Mother's Day. You know that and happy Mother's Day weekend. Becky, over 2 million moms gathering together in this Facebook community. Tell us about it again.

[Becky Thompson]

Well, the Midnight Mom Devotional began almost a decade ago now. Actually I think it was just over a decade and I run it with my mom, Susan Pitts. It's such a blessing to have this multi generational ministry and and what began as a middle of the night check in for moms who are overwhelmed or just needing a place to land when they're up with their kids in the middle of the night has turned into an around the clock worldwide movement of women saying I need to know that I'm not alone in what feel like midnight moments because we know that midnight isn't just a time on the clock. It can be a whole season that feels heavy or hard or overwhelming. So my mom and I meet them there with with the word of God and with prayer.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Becky, you recently teamed up with my daughter Megan. You guys were at an event, an extraordinary women conference in Pensacola, Florida. You and I have talked about Megan a lot. She loves being a mom. Exhilarating and exhausting. She says, dad, seriously. Olivia's turning 7. Sophia, our youngest granddaughter, is almost 4, maybe going on 7 2. She likes to do everything her sister does. But you know what? There's a lot of stress. And if you, by nature, you know, maybe have a tendency to, like, to control your world and what have you, and all these things come together. Becky, it does get overwhelming. You got a lot, a lot of moms out there who feel more than stressed out. What did you see in Pensacola that added maybe to your vision of what you see every night in your midnight mom community? And just some reflections on what you guys were talking about and just thinking about Mom. You matter so much. And we've got to figure out how to encourage and strengthen their hearts more and more.

[Becky Thompson]

That's exactly right. You know, what we're seeing are women who maybe became mothers in the last 10 years and women who have maybe become grandmothers in the last 10 years. And the world has changed dramatically in just the last few years. And motherhood was hard before the world sort of fell apart around us. And I feel like women, especially mothers, have this intense sense of needing to keep their children safe because the world feels so unsafe all of a sudden, and the pressures to perform and to hold everybody close. I just have this picture in my heart of women, and it's like we're doing everything we can to keep everybody else afloat, and we're drowning in the process. And the Lord showed me this a few months ago, this picture of Moses's mom. Her name was Jochebed or Jacobed. And we don't hear about her until later in the story. We don't get her name until later in the story. But early in Exodus, we hear that at a time when all of the babies were supposed to be thrown into the Nile river because the Israelites were being blessed by the Lord and were outnumbering the Egyptians, and the Egyptian pharaoh was concerned that the Israelites might turn against them. This one mom looked at her baby born into that hour of terror and truly a death decree over his life. And she said, not my baby. And she hid him for as long as she could. And when she saw she couldn't hide him any longer, she made a basket with tar and pitch. Waterproof. I don't know if she even knew how to do that. I imagine her learning how to waterproof a basket and putting her real baby into this real basket, and then putting this basket into the reeds. And it was as if the Lord showed me this picture of moms today. And we have done everything we know how to do to keep our kids safe. We've done everything we know how to do to prepare them for this world that they've been born into. But at some point, we have to learn how to put the baby into the basket and into the reeds and trust that it's never our own work that keeps them afloat. It's never our own efforts alone that keep them from sinking beneath the waters, but it's the hand of God that upholds them. And so, as the Lord gave me this picture of women today, it's almost as if we have waded out into the deep with our little baskets, and we are holding the baskets over our head, and we just can't let it go because it's too precious. And in the process, we just are desperate for error. We're desperate to come up. But we know that it's too hard. And so women are struggling with the tension of the hour and the expectations and the overwhelm. And what we saw in Pensacola, Dr. Clinton, were women who were honest about that struggle, who said, it's not just too hard for me daily, it's too hard for me moment by moment, hour by hour. I don't even know if I can keep breathing. And so what we're seeing as we have these opportunities, opportunities to engage with women both online and in person, is that women are being far more honest, I think, with themselves, about where they actually are mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. And we're seeing women cry out, reach up and say, I. I really do need help. And it was incredible because in Pensacola, we saw women receive breakthrough. The women that just were carrying too much and the women that were saying, I don't even know if it's possible to come up for arrogant.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

Becky, the Lord brought us together a few years back as we talked about mental health related issues. You wrote a book called Peace. And I wrote a little endorsement for that book. But in it, you went to a different place. You talked about a personal journey of anxiety. You did a lot of research around it, and God gave you some real wisdom and direction and set your feet on a healing path that I think has really resonated with a lot of women and moms in particular, because you can go from, you know, worry into anxiety, into a really deep, dark place. You know that. Can you address some of that, Becky, and what God did and how it, again, is a message for women.

[Becky Thompson]

Sure, it was 2019, and I was living 2,000 miles away from the home where I grew up, and all of my family, my husband and our three kids, had moved from Oklahoma to California. And I had struggled with anxiety most of my life. But it became far worse when I became a mom for a number of reasons I didn't know it was anxiety. I thought I was just a kid that had some quirks. You know, check on this. Be concerned about that. We didn't talk about it as much then, and I'm so grateful that the conversation has changed and I'm able to speak into it and help other women identify where they are in their. In their emotional and mental state. But in 2019, I found myself in this place where I. I needed the Lord every single day just to really get out of bed and face my life. And. And anxiety was crippling, truly crippling. Going to the store, going to loud places, even just. Even just doing the simple things. I began to notice that I felt anxiety in different places in my body. I felt like it was hard to breathe. I felt like my heart was racing, and nothing was happening other than the daily life of being a mom to three kids. And during that time, the Lord gave me this picture. And I love how the Lord gives me pictures like this. It's one of the ways that he speaks to me. But he gave me this picture of a woman, and she was. She looked like she had been blindfolded and dropped off in the middle of a dark forest at night. And I watched as she took this blindfold off of her eyes and looked around and realized she really didn't know where she was, and she didn't know the first step. And I listened. And it was as if the Lord was reminding me of a movie that I had seen before, but I never had seen this. And it was like this woman yelled out hello as loud as she could, like maybe someone would come for her. Maybe someone would know how to lead her out of that. But nobody came. And I was so moved by this picture that the lord gave me Dr. Clinton, that I began to cry myself. And I said, lord, who is she? I'll go for her. What's her. What's her problem? What's her story? And he said, becky, she's a woman lost in the forest of fear, and you're going in so we can lead her out together. And I thought, this is amazing news, because if we're leading her out together, then I get out of this. But it set me on this journey to write out how the Lord was unfolding healing in my life in my story. Because it wasn't just for me anymore. It was the other women that I would listen for, hearing and crying out, hello. And as women, we don't cry out hello very loudly. It sounds more like, how are you doing? Oh, it's been a hard week. But deeply, we're saying, does anybody know what it's like to get into this? And does anybody know the way out? And so that is the book piece. And I was so grateful for your endorsement and how you lended your voice and support to that, because women need to know, especially Christian women, that they're not alone in this forest and that the Lord doesn't fault them for the fear, but he came so that they could be free.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

I want to close this way. It can get pretty dark, and the darkness often leads to a lot of loneliness, and the aloneness is a dangerous place really to be. That's why community becomes really important. Important, probably why Midnight mom devotional community has exploded like it has. Just speak to that and how people might find out more information about you and maybe how to be a part of that community.

[Becky Thompson]

That's wonderful and so true that I think the women that need community the most often have circumstances in their life that keep them from accessing the community that they desperately need. And so that is where, you know, online spaces and online programs can be a lifeline for women that are struggling in their own lives, whether they don't have a local church that they've been able to plug into. Maybe they have children with special needs, and their. Their version of community looks different in this season. Maybe they're homebound or they have their own health issues, or maybe the anxiety keeps them feeling like they just can't reach out and plug in. I think online spaces are so important for. For women in those situations, but truly for all. For all women. Whether you find your community online or you take the step to. To reach out and join that church luncheon, you know, the bulletin at your church, the. The news announcements at your church, probably say something about a ladies gathering, and maybe you're a mom listening, going, I've never. I've never stepped out and done that before. I would encourage you, no matter the stage of motherhood, no matter your story or your circumstances, to find the women a step ahead and a step behind and link arms and continue to walk through this life together. And that's just so important mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. And if someone wanted to do that with us online. They could find [e-mail] and that would link them to our online membership, community and all of our free resources as well.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

So it's midnightmom devotional.com that's right. Becky, always great to have you. Thank you so much for joining me.

[Becky Thompson]

Thank you again, Dr. Clinton,

[Podcast Announcer]

for more encouragement and to stay connected. Follow Dr. Tim Clinton on Facebook, Instagram and X. We love being a part of your life.

[Dr. Tim Clinton]

In closing, I'd love to share a poem my mother was going to give me on my high school graduation. Actually found it on an addresser, took it and put it in my wallet. Told her about it later on in life. It meant the world to me then. It still does today. It's called of age today my guardianship for you is ended. I cannot cross this last forbidden Spanish, but love and tears and prayers together blended to guide your steps from babyhood to man. You walk alone with God from this day forward to make of life whatever be his will, provided you surrender to his guidance, allowing love of God your heart to fill. I cherish all of our days, both high and homespun, the happy days that blot out every other. I bow my head to thank God you were born so son, it's a lovely thing to be your mother. That was written by Edna Devin Norris. You know, I love this quote too. A kiss from my mother made me a painter. Benjamin Wiest, the power of affirmation, especially from a mom. Hope you'll take again a few moments this week to ponder this verse from the Bible, Proverbs chapter 31, verses 28 and 29. Her children rise up and they call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. Many women have done excellently, but you, you surpass them all. Hope you enjoyed the broadcast today. Hope you pick up the phone and call your mom. Better yet, jump in the car and go see her if you can. Tell her you love her. Make peace if you need to. And oh, make sure and mark your calendars. Now for Rededicate 250 and National Jubilee of Praise, Prayer and Thanksgiving May 17th on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. go to rededicate250.org rededicate250.org I'm Dr. Tim Clinton. As always, thanks for watching. See you next week right here on Sunday, the Road Forward on Real America's Voice.