These are some of the most challenging times first responders have faced in our nation’s history. Scrutiny is relentless. Morale is fragile. The demands are higher, the margin for error is thinner, and the emotional toll is heavier than ever before. Many first responders are not only navigating crisis after crisis on the job, but also wrestling with isolation, fatigue, and a loss of purpose once they go home.
It’s in this moment, right now, that hope is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.
For more than two years, we’ve talked about the need for a podcast like this. But if I’m honest, this conversation has been unfolding for closer to fifteen years.
My career in the Seattle Police Department, and my continued work supporting first responders and their families, has given me a front-row seat to a reality few people truly see. First responders are trained to run toward chaos, tragedy, and darkness while the rest of the world runs away. They do it with courage and professionalism, but they also do it carrying burdens that don’t come off with the uniform at the end of a shift.
What I’ve seen over the years is not just trauma and exhaustion, but a gap. A gap in encouragement. A gap in hope. A gap in spaces where first responders can hear stories that sound like their own, stories that acknowledge the darkness without being consumed by it, and stories that point to something greater at work even in the hardest moments.
That’s why we are honored to announce the launch of the Living Mission First Podcast, which debuted on January 29, 2026, with the release of the first five episodes.
This podcast was born out of a simple but urgent conviction: first responders need hope, and they need examples of what it looks like to live out faith in the real world, not just in theory. The tagline says it plainly, Real Stories of Real Hope for First Responders, because that’s exactly what this is.
Behind the sirens, the long shifts, and the unseen battles, God is at work in powerful and often unexpected ways. Too often, those stories go untold. The Living Mission First Podcast exists to change that. Each episode features first responders who are living Mission First for Christ, men and women who see their badge, uniform, and calling not merely as a job, but as a mission field.
These are not polished testimonies wrapped in clichés. They are honest conversations about courage, faith, doubt, and resilience. They are stories of hope found in hard places. Stories of faith lived out in real time. Stories of Christ moving in moments that look anything but holy on the surface, traffic stops, emergency rooms, fire scenes, dispatch centers, and quiet drives home after a shift that won’t let go.
This podcast does not shy away from the weight first responders carry. Instead, it meets that weight with truth and encouragement. It reminds listeners that they are not weak for struggling, not alone in their questions, and not forgotten in their service. It offers examples to follow, not perfect people, but faithful ones who are choosing, day by day, to live out their calling with integrity and hope.
While this podcast is created with first responders in mind, it’s not only for those on the front lines. If you love or support a first responder, these stories will help you better understand their world. If you’re simply in need of encouragement, you’ll find reminders that God is still writing stories of redemption, even in the darkest places we can imagine.
At its heart, the Living Mission First Podcast is about connection. It’s about creating a space where real stories meet real hope. A place where faith is not abstract, but practical. Not distant, but present, right in the middle of the mess.
We believe this podcast arrives at exactly the right moment. The challenges facing first responders today are immense, and the need for hope has never been greater. Our prayer is that every episode serves as a reminder that you are seen, you are valued, and your work matters, to your community and to God.
So we invite you to join us. Subscribe. Follow. Share it with others who need to hear these stories. The Living Mission First Podcast is now available everywhere you listen to podcasts. New episodes will be released on the last Thursday of every month.
This is more than a podcast launch. It’s an invitation to listen, to be encouraged, and to remember that even in chaos, God is still at work.
Podcast produced by Mission First Alliance - United Together, bringing Real Hope to first responders and their families. https://missionfirstalliance.com/podcast/
Podcast Links:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MissionFirstAlliance
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-mission-first/id1860680694
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0a014050-17cc-4b76-abab-91ca7b65dffc/living-mission-first
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Gr7YFKI79v1Pw8el155LB
iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-living-mission-first-318343105/
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