How sweet the sound with Laura Smith
Do you feel quarantined out? Are you struggling with feelings of getting it all wrong? We’re right there with you.
Author, speaker, and mom of four, Laura Smith chats with us about giving ourselves grace as we parent in these hard days. We talk about navigating the disappointment our kids are facing, while also finding hope in the bigger picture of Jesus.
Laura gives us a great reminder about using this time to model our faith well. She also discusses her new book and speaks to the power of hymns. Her insight and wisdom gave me new life!
Join us today and walk away humming “Amazing Grace”—that’s a promise!
Laura’s Book: How Sweet the Sound
A reminder of why true heroes matter with Eric Metaxas
If you have found yourself wondering what it’s like to live in New York City during a pandemic, Eric Metaxas is your guy! On today’s episode of Pardon the Mess, he speaks to this question and so much more.
Metaxas is a New York Times #1 bestselling author, the host of the Eric Metaxas Radio Show, an international speaker, and a trusted cultural analyst on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. More significantly, he’s a devout Christian. He brings the encouragement we could all use during this pandemic, a time that has led many to cope with feelings of discouragement and despair.
Metaxas shares the good he believes is coming from these challenging days and asks whether this time can lead to a revival in the midst of suffering. Eric and I talk about the heroes that are emerging during this crisis and highlight the importance of raising our kids to know their true heroes (instead of those society deems worship-worthy).
His new book, 7 More Men, speaks to this topic. It chronicles historical Christian heroes of faith who inspire us to live out our faith, whatever the cost.
I was encouraged, inspired, and honored to do this interview with Eric and feel certain you will feel the same.
From Lost to Found with Nicole Zasowski
“There’s blessing in any story that ignites our longing for Christ.” —Nicole Zasowski
This is my favorite quote from today’s podcast, words that ring true as we consider our days in the COVID-19 pandemic. This time of uncertainty can either create more anxiety and unrest in our lives, or it can create a longing for an even deeper connection with Jesus, as we recognize that this world is not our home.
I’m praying we emerge from these hard days with a renewed hope that only comes from trusting in him. As we do this, I’m thrilled to share with you my conversation with Nicole Zasowski. We talk about identifying the things in life that keep us in bondage (think—performance, control, shame), and how freeing it is when we’re willing to give the reins back to the Lord.
During our conversation, Nicole vulnerably shares about her journey with infertility and how the Lord transformed her pain into healing. She focuses on how God is not the author of hardship, but that he is gracious enough to use our pain to accomplish his bigger purposes. What a perfect lesson during this week of National Infertility Awareness.
So grateful for each of you. Please know that I am praying for you as we continue to adjust to this new normal. Send us an email if we can add you to our team’s prayer list or to let us know how you’re doing.
Seeing God’s goodness in the middle of loss with Jonathan Pitts
Wynter and Jonathan Pitts were married for fifteen years and twenty-seven days, until July 24, 2018, when Wynter unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. Wynter left behind a family of four girls, a handful of books, and a ministry to tween girls—For Girls Like You. The niece of Tony Evans and the cousin of Priscilla Shirer, Wynter came from a strong family of faith.
Jonathan Pitts is a speaker and executive pastor at Church of the City in Franklin, TN. He joins us today to speak about seeing God’s goodness in the middle of the pain of loss. His testimony is faith-filled and rooted in the knowledge that God allowed his wife to complete her mission before he took her to heaven.
Jonathan shares some of the truths found in the last book Wynter and he completed just hours before her passing—Emptied: Experiencing the Fullness of a Poured-Out Marriage. Jonathan and I talk about marriage, raising girls, living life in quarantine, and so much more. Jonathan’s mission to carry out Wynter’s ministry, while raising their daughters, is going to encourage you!
Be sure to follow us on social media @pardonthemesspodcast to get notices on our Instagram Live events as well many other encouraging parenting resources. We want to walk the parenting road with you!