Sissy Goff and David Thomas on raising children in a world this hard
This week, Sissy Goff and David Thomas with Daystar Counseling are here! Each of them have been counseling kids for over 30 years. I cannot think of two individuals that have impacted my parenting in a more practical and profound way.
In this episode, we talk about a few of the challenges with raising our kids in a scary and sometimes dark time. From anxiety to school shootings - we’ve never felt more anxious or ill-equipped to raise children.
David shares some encouragement and tips on raising an emotionally strong boy. Sissy shares about her upcoming book to help anxious parents raise kids in the midst of our own self work. She notes that women and girls lead the statistics in anxiety.
There are also some tender moments where they both reflect back on the most horrendous time in their own Nashville community. You will be encouraged to hear more stories of God working in and around Covenant School. I know so many are grateful for the work Daystar did to step up, comfort and care for so many families (locally and nationwide).
Quotes:
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” - Frederick Douglas
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me: ‘Look for the helpers.’ You will always find people who are helping.” - Fred Rogers
Enjoy!
Courtney DeFeo
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
Connect with Courtney DeFeo
Resources from today’s show:
The Worry Free Parent- Pre- Order!
Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas
Strong and Smart: A Boy's Guide to Building Healthy Emotions by David Thomas
Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org
📣 Part 2 of our BIG Announcement with Cynthia Yanof and Courtney DeFeo 📣
This week is a big week for Pardon the Mess! If you missed last week’s show, go back and hear the announcement about our new host, Courtney DeFeo. In this episode, Courtney and Cynthia talk about how this decision unfolded and the challenges of obeying God even when it’s messy and unclear.
Our show today is a super-fun conversation with Cynthia and Courtney giving a deep dive into these exciting changes. Join in as Courtney interviews Cynthia about her favorite Pardon the Mess moments. You can also hear the who, when, where, what, and why behind Cynthia’s move to a new podcast.
We are beyond excited about what’s to come! This summer is going to be packed with more great interviews about parenting in the midst of our messy lives. We will continue to laugh together and possibly cry together as we pursue our relationship with God during all of life’s challenges.
The Key to Walking with God
We did it!
We’ve made it to last week of our 2022-2023 prayer journal and praying our kids through the school year. 🙌🏼
I can’t think of a better way to wrap things up than to pray for our kids to walk with God. Today we’re talking very practically about ways to do that, and how the Psalms give a roadmap for weathering the ups and downs of our everyday faith.
On a personal note, I want to thank each of you for joining me each Monday this year (and the last several years) to pray. It’s been an amazing journey and hearing the ways the Lord is moving in your families has forever marked me.
I also want to let you know that after May, I will no longer be hosting Pardon the Mess. My dear friend, Courtney DeFeo, will be the new host and you’re going to LOVE her. I can promise you that 100%.
In the last two episodes, we’re sharing more details about Courtney, what’s to come on Pardon the Mess so definitely tune in.
I’m so grateful for each of you. Great days to come!
📣 A BIG Announcement with Cynthia Yanof and Courtney DeFeo 📣
Today is a big day for Pardon the Mess! We’ve got an announcement that we’re so excited to share with you. At the end of May, Cynthia will be leaving Pardon the Mess and passing the mic to our dear friend Courtney DeFeo. Courtney is a wife, mom, author, speaker, and 100% the authentic and hilariously real friend we all need.
Our show today is a super-fun conversation with Cynthia and Courtney giving a deep dive into these exciting changes at Pardon the Mess. You will get to know (and love) Courtney DeFeo as well as hear the who, when, where, what, and why behind Cynthia’s move.
These next two weeks will be a big celebration of where we’ve been and where we’re heading towards on Pardon the Mess. And above all, we want to be sure YOU have all the scoop on the amazing things coming your way.
Continue to connect with Cynthia Yanof here:
MESSmerized Podcast
Resources from today's show:
Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org
A fresh start to our mornings with Emily Ley
Emily Ley is always such a delight and today is no exception. She’s a master planner and creator with a knack for organization within the boundaries of real life. It was so fun to get a peek into her morning routine and a few ideas for keeping ourselves sane in the upcoming summer months.
I especially loved her words on being comfortable with who we are, while also being comfortable with who we are not. And reminders that taking care of ourselves matters, and we have permission to set routines that work for us and then stick to them.
Her new devotional is 🔥and a great way to start our days off right.
Can’t wait for you to hear from sweet Emily.
Resources from today's show:
Sure as the Sunrise devotional
All things related to Emily’s products and podcast can be found here!
Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Praying the Psalms over our kids: The key to Struggling
“Faith thrives in holy discomfort. The greatest moments in life can often result from some of the most uncomfortable decisions being made. Nothing worth having comes without a cost.” - Louie Giglio
This is one of my favorite quotes and it speaks perfectly to life in the middle of the struggle. Sometimes perspective is the key to handling life’s biggest struggles and knowing that God always controls the larger picture.
This week we’re praying for our kids to know God is compassionate towards them, fully aware they are doing life without him physically present in a world with real struggles. Let’s ask the Lord to remind them that some of our greatest God-given opportunities arise from the ashes of our hardest struggles.
Can’t wait to pray with you!
P.S. We would be so grateful if you’d consider sharing Pardon the Mess with a friend. Encourage those you know and love to join us in praying each week by forwarding this email or sending a link to the show. Thank you!
Head knowledge versus heart knowledge with Lisa Whittle
Lisa Whittle is joining us today and she’s an amazing speaker, podcaster, and author. We’re talking about the chasm between our head knowledge and our heart knowledge and how only God fills that gap. He knows our every worry, anxiety, and daily routine. Why does this matter? Because he loves us and so desperately wants to use us for His glory.
Lisa also cautions us to watch out for things that mimic the real experience of God, and very practically gives us pointers on figuring out the difference in dreams versus goals for our lives.
Heck, we even talk about our tendency to want to “payback” those who hurt us . . . and who doesn’t need a good word on that.
So glad you’re with us today.
Resources from today's show:
Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Praying the Psalms over our kids: The key to a bad day
Life gives us lots of good days while also throwing in some bad ones along the way too. As adults we know life is hard on this side of heaven, and knowing where to turn in our hardest moments is critically important.
This week we’re praying for our kids to know what David knew in Psalm 13—trusting God means trusting Him even on the hard days.
As parents our knee-jerk reaction is to try and eliminate the source of our kids’ pain. But so often that same hard place is the greatest opportunity for them to know that Jesus is their only hope. Join me in praying this week that our kids turn to God instead of drugs, self-harm, or anything short of God’s best when they are facing hard times.
P.S. We would be so grateful if you’d consider sharing Pardon the Mess with a friend. Encourage those you know and love to join us in praying each week by forwarding this email or sending a link to the show. Thank you!
This is the hour with Christy Nockels
I recently attended the IF: Gathering and had the privilege of worshiping through music with the amazing Christy Nockels. I’ve always been a huge fan of her music, but in recent days I’m an even bigger fan of her heart for the Lord.
Today is super fun because we get a glimpse into the creative process behind her latest album, This is the Hour. She talks about coming to a place of complete exhaustion and how the Lord spoke rest into her life. We even have a super honest discussion about yelling at God when it feels as if life has become too much.
I can’t wait for you to hear this amazing conversation because I know you’re going to love Christy as much as I do!
Resources from today's show: