Week 25: Ask questions - Nicodemus

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. He knew the Scriptures better than anyone. And still, people were talking about Jesuss teachings and miracles and Nicodemus wanted to know more, so he went to Jesus in the night and asked him questions.

Nicodemus asking questions led to Jesus explaining one of the most important parts of the Christian faithwhy Jesus came and what it takes to truly follow him and enter his kingdom. Jesus explained that to be saved, a person has to be born again.

Nicodemus had all the answers on paper, but he must have known something was missing in his heart, and he sought out Jesus to find out what. We should be curious about our faith too. Questions about faith do not have to be scarythey can be viewed as an opportunity to learn more about the heart of God.

We want our kids to make their faith their own because a personal, deeply rooted faith is more likely to transform them. An inherited faith is more likely to fall apart when things fall apart. Asking questions is part of the process of maturing spiritually and making faith their own, so we should encourage it!

This week, lets pray that our kids seek after Jesus and ask the right questions to make their faith their own.

Jesus, thank you for answering our prayers and our questions. When __________ has questions, may they always come to you, knowing you will answer them and that you care for them. Help them to grow strong and confident in their own faith. Amen.

If you love this episode and dont have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, its not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And dont forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes. 

Order A Great Cloud of Witnesses today

Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

This episode is for all moms raising kids of all seasons. My guest, Kim Anderson, is a Nashville therapist who began her career as an elementary teacher before transitioning to counseling. She is driven by a desire to support whole families through life's challenges. She is the founder of Elevate Moms, a faith community where mothers can heal, grow, and connect. 

This super practical episode is beyond encouraging. Kim helps us think through many difficult challenges of parenting in todays world. She focuses on the importance of emotional regulation, attunement, and setting boundaries. Our discussion covers how to navigate difficult conversations with children, the significance of understanding mental health, and the balance between advocating for children and allowing them to develop resilience.

My favorite part is when Kim encourages us to take care of our own emotional well-being to better support our children. She reminds us that being perfect at parenting isnt possible. And its more than okay to be imperfect. I pray you will breathe a little lighter today after hearing Kims encouragement. 

Enjoy!

Courtney

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess 

Courtney DeFeo

ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW

Resources from todays show:

Connect with Kim Anderson

Elevate Moms

Family Room Membership

Technology Guide (with contract)

30% is good enough parenting

Understanding attachment styles with David Thomas and Sissy Goff

Sign up for Morning Minute

I Can Only Imagine 2

Disciplines of Devotion Series

LearningRX

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. (Luke 1:4145 ESV)

Theres a beautiful scene between two relatives in Luke 1, as we read about the coming of Jesus. Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist, and her cousin Mary had just been told by an angel that she would give birth to a son and he would be named Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Imagine having this kind of news and needing to process this with a friend. And its especially tricky when you are a virgin and learn you are expecting a child.

In Luke 1, Mary visited her relative Elizabeth to tell her the unexpected and life-changing news. At the moment she entered, the baby leaped in Elizabeths womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

The interesting part about this moment is Elizabeths joy in her response to Marys news. She couldve been a little confused that her cousin had just one-upped her by sharing that she was pregnant with the Savior of the world. Instead, she recognized that the Lord was fulfilling his promises through Mary. It was a moment of pure support, praise, and celebration. She immediately proclaimed, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb (Luke 1:42 KJV).

Throughout the Bible, and even in todays culture, we see moments of jealousy and comparison. Even in Christian communities, we see jealousy and discontentment when God is blessing others. Lets pray that our children respond to their friends just like Elizabeth did to Mary. Lets pray that they trust the Lord with their paths and step in as the first one to celebrate with joy for their friends and family.

Jesus, when __________ has a friend or a family member who has great news, let them be the first to celebrate. Let them cast aside the feelings of jealousy and stand firmly in their own journey with God. Let them be known as friends who praise what God is doing in the lives around them.

If you love this episode and dont have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, its not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And dont forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes. 

Order A Great Cloud of Witnesses today

Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Shes baaacccckkkk!!! The creator and original host of Pardon The Mess podcast, Cynthia Yanof, is back with us today. She is one of the funniest people Ive ever met. Aside from great humor, she brings real life encouragement with biblical truth.

In todays episode, Cynthia and I chat about what matters most in life. As we look ahead to 2026 - where can we spend our time in a way that matters? I remember many moments in life I was all worked up and stressed over things in parenting that really didn't matter. I pray you feel seen and so much needed permission to let things go after this conversation.

Cynthia shares beautiful stories about parenting, faith and friendship in a way that leaves me feeling encouraged. She has such a heart for prayer and is the reason we pray every Monday as a community. Im super thankful for the legacy she left over here at Pardon the Mess!

Enjoy

Courtney 

Chapters:

(00:00) Welcome Back and Podcast Journey

(02:30) Navigating Parenting and New Projects

(05:01) Life with Kids: Balancing Ages and Stages

(08:05) What Really Matters in Parenting

(12:19) The Importance of Rest and Margin

(13:04) Urgency vs. Importance in Parenting

(16:11) Lessons Beyond the Game

(16:27) Navigating Parenting Pressures

(18:48) The Importance of Friendship

(24:55) Faith and Love in Action

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess 

Courtney DeFeo

ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW

Resources from todays show:

Connect with Cynthia

Messmerized Podcast

Sidetracked Podcast

Feeding the Mouth That Bites You Podcast

Howd I Miss That? (new book) by Cynthia Yanof

Life Is Messy, God is Good by Cythia Yanof

Sign up for Morning Minute

Christian Parenting

Raising Daughters

I Can Only Imagine 2

Open a LearningRX center

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Paul said, Johns baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. (Acts 19:4)

Do you love the Olympics and watching teams compete? It can be so inspiring to watch a team of swimmers work together in a relay or a track and field star pass his baton to the next runner. Each team member is important. Its a powerful reminder to do our part with excellence.

In the life of John the Baptist, we see a devoted follower of Jesus do his part with great faithfulness. He didnt even know what his effort and work would mean in the end, but he obeyed and trusted. John spread the good news of the coming Messiah so that people were ready for him; his entire ministry was planting seeds in the hearts of the people. Some even asked if he was the Messiah, but he always pointed people back to Christ (John 1:1928).

Its fun to imagine that somehow our own stories of faith are a part of one giant race with batons passing through generations. When we teach our kids about Jesus, we are planting seeds in their hearts. We dont know what those seeds will grow into, but we can trust that they will take the baton we pass to them and continue to pass it to others.

Lets pray that our kids trust their calling over their lives and realize their greater impact in Gods big story.

Jesus, thank you that we get to be part of your greater story. Lead __________ to hear your call on their life. Help them to worry less about earthly things and more about trusting you. Give them opportunities to plant seeds in the hearts of people around them and be obedient in joyfully sharing your good news! Amen.

If you love this episode and dont have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, its not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And dont forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes. 

Order A Great Cloud of Witnesses today

Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org