Rediscovering God’s Heart for Creation

A podcast exploring faith, climate action, and God’s redemptive purpose for his world and everything in it.

Faith, Hope, and Creation in a Changing World

Rivers in the Desert is a faith-based podcast where we explore God’s heart for creation and what it means to practice biblical stewardship in today’s world. The name is based on Isaiah 43, which talks about God's power to reconcile and renew his people even in the most desolate circumstances. Aislynn and Beatrice met at the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan, where they got the idea for this podcast. Their goal was to inspire conversations among believers about climate change, and to offer hope and community for those who feel overwhelmed, skeptical, or uncertain about how faith relates to climate action. Each episode seeks to help Christians better understand today’s environmental challenges—particularly climate change and environmental injustice—through the lens of God’s redemptive vision for the world. Rivers in the Desert creates space for wrestling with the challenging realities of climate change and living in the hope of the gospel. Across this first season, we journey from the biblical foundation of creation care to the realities of our current environmental crisis, and the deeper heart transformation required to love both God and neighbor through our stewardship of the planet.

Two young women smiling outdoors with flowers and greenery in the background, sunlight and lens flare

Listen up.

Tune in for season one as Aislynn and Beatrice explore what the Bible says about creation care, unpack the science of climate change, map out the major players, and reflect on the heart issue behind the climate crisis.

“Rivers in the Desert brings a light of hope to the dire reality of climate change, and for Christians invites us into the source of that hope, into God’s heart for us and what he wants us to see through the lens of the world he made. If you’re not familiar with “creation care” theology, this podcast is the perfect primer and as you listen you may find that instead of climate dread and anxiety there’s an unexpected path of joy that leads to a deepening of your faith and practical ways to make a difference.”

Rivers in the Desert Listener

Meet the Hosts

A young woman with curly hair and a sunflower behind her ear, standing in a field of sunflowers and yellow flowering bushes on a sunny day, smiling with her arms crossed.

Repeating pattern of green and blue leaves on a green background.

Beatrice Shackelford

Beatrice Shackelford is passionate about serving those who are suffering the effects of climate change and activating her Christian community to connect faith and environmental action. She grew up in awe of creation, but living in Cleveland, Ohio she also saw how pollution and food insecurity affects communities, sparking her interest in environmental justice. Beatrice is currently completing her B.S. in Environmental Science (expected May 2026) at Dordt University in Sioux Center, IA. Through her studies, Beatrice has developed a deep conviction that caring for creation and the well-being of communities are inseparably tied together. As a Community Fellow with Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, and having attended COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the Christian Climate Observers Program, she has combined faith, science, and service to engage others in creation care. Beatrice has written “Walking on Burning Ground: A Neo-Calvinist Cure to Climate Apathy” (Published in Pro Rege, September 2025) and “Where the Leaves Fall” (Published in In All Things, January 2025). She hopes to continue working at the intersection of climate resilience, faith, and community development, inspiring others toward hopeful action.

A young woman with shoulder-length brown hair, smiling, wearing a beige sweater and blue jeans, standing outdoors in front of a tree with autumn leaves and a brick building in the background.

Pattern of stylized yellow and green floral designs on a beige background.

Aislynn Patrick

Aislynn Patrick grew up in Oregon, where she acquired a deep love for nature and all of God’s creatures. She studied at Capernwray Bible School in England and is currently finishing her B.A. degree at Beloit College (expected May 2026) with majors in Environmental Justice and Philosophy and a minor in Political Science. At Beloit, Aislynn leads a campus Bible study and has worked on several sustainability projects. She has been a College Fellow and a Community Fellow with Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, and she was an official UN Observer at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan with the Christian Climate Observers Program. Aislynn is passionate about effective communication on climate change across political divides and believes in the power of conversations and connection. Aislynn hopes to work for a nonprofit or a church after graduation. As someone who is deeply motivated by her faith, she strives to reflect God’s love through service and compassionate dialogue, and to inspire faith communities to integrate environmental stewardship into their mission fields.

Follow us on instagram

Stay Connected

Join the Rivers in the Desert community and be part of a growing movement of believers seeking God’s heart for creation. Get updates on new episodes, behind-the-scenes insights, and practical ways to live out biblical stewardship in everyday life.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Rivers in the Desert podcast is a project funded by Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of YECA. The content shared here is for informational and conversational purposes only. YECA fellows’ views are their own and do not necessarily represent those of YECA. YECA is not responsible for the content of this podcast or any decisions made in relation to it.