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As parents, we know raising kids is the opposite of neat and tidy. Each day brings wins, losses and valuable lessons. Pardon the Mess is a place where we discuss parenting and faith in a biblical, approachable and relatable way. We may cry and laugh while we learn and grow together in our beautiful mess.
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Is motherhood your HIGHEST calling? Lets debate it with Vicki Courtney →
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Buckle in for a fantastic and thought-provoking chat with author and speaker Vicki Courtney. Have you ever heard the phrase, motherhood is your highest calling ? Did you believe it? And do you agree with it?
I love that Vicki is looking back as a grandmother and assessing this common phrase and belief that impacted her motherhood journey. She wants to help our generation properly grapple with our highest calling. She believes motherhood is a high calling but not THE highest calling. And there is a difference.
This statement isnt just about semantics. If we believe motherhood is our highest calling, then the way we parent is informed and impacted by that belief. That belief ushers in perfectionism and pressure thats not manageable. I loved this conversation and mindset shift - not just for myself but for my daughters. Lets look to scripture and make sure we are all on the same page - that our highest calling is actually not motherhood.
My favorite part is when Vicki talks about the trap of comparison at the end. She helps us dial down the guilt and increase the freedom that is found in Jesus. I am grateful for the encouragement and teaching of Vicki Courtney. Her work has mattered to me at every phase of motherhood.
Enjoy!
Courtney
(00:00) Reconnecting and Reflecting on the Past
(04:49) The Journey of Motherhood and Writing
(09:36) Rethinking Motherhood as a Calling
(14:06) The Pressure of Perfectionism in Parenting
(19:02) Finding Balance and Freedom in Motherhood
(23:41) Embracing Identity Beyond Motherhood
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW
Resources from todays show:
Connect with Vicki
Motherhood is not your highest calling by Vicki Courtney
Subscribe to Christian Parentings Friday Favorites
Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
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Week 2: Trust in the Lord - Abraham →
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:56)
Think about the amount of trust Abraham had in the Lord: He was told to leave his home and move to a new land and wandered for decades, not knowing where he was going, but he went anyway. He was told he would be the father of a great nation, but he didnt have any kids. Then he was told he would have a baby when he was very old. Then God told him to go sacrifice his beloved son.
There is a reason God made a covenant with Abraham that changed the course of the world: He had a deep trust in the Lord and in the Lords love for him. Even when something seemed impossible, Abraham believed God would be faithful. Looking at Abrahams life teaches us that we dont need to have all the answers to obey God; we just need to have unwavering trust in his goodness. God will be true to his promises, even though his timing and his ways are sometimes different from ours.
God has a great plan for your child. We dont know what that looks like: friends, activities, college, careers, relationships, kids. There are a lot of unknown variables at play and there is no glimpsing into the future, but God holds it in his hands. Trusting God means believing that he is leading our kids to their great future, even when we cant see the whole picture.
This week, lets pray that our kids put their trust in the Lord just like Abraham did and stand firm in their faith when things feel uncertain.
Lord, help __________ to trust you like Abraham did. Give them faith to follow where you lead them. Reveal your great purpose for their life to them and teach them to rely on your promises. May they walk in confidence knowing that you are always with them and they are deeply loved by you. 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. (It also makes a wonderful gift for grandparents or friends!) 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
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How to surrender our kids (over and over again) with Christy Nockels →
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My natural reaction is to CONTROL my kids and I wish that wasnt the truth. I know that the best thing for them and for me is to surrender all of it to God every day. Why is this so hard for me? Do you also struggle with wanting to control and hold onto your kids?
Join me today as I chat with Christy Nockels about this idea of surrendering our kids through various seasons. Christy has been writing songs and leading worship for more than 30 years. She is a wife and a mom living in the Nashville, TN area. My favorite part about Christy is her humility. Jesus just oozes through her music and her life.
My favorite part is how she shares a couple of practical ways you can still connect with your kids as adults. And dont forget to put her new album King Who Never Sleeps on repeat in your car and kitchen. It will feel like a balm to your soul.
Enjoy!
Courtney
(00:00) Introduction to Christy Nockels
(02:55) The Heart Behind the New Album
(05:43) Lessons in Surrender and Trust
(08:26) Navigating Parenting Transitions
(11:09) The Power of Prayer in Parenting
(14:14) Being Present in the Moment
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW
Resources from todays show:
Connect with Christy
Christys book
Christys podcast
Christys new album - King Who Never Sleeps
Subscribe to Christian Parentings Friday Favorites
Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Our Sponsors:* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com
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Week 1: Seek righteousness - Noah →
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Hey friends, today we are kicking off this years series that follows Christian Parentings brand new prayer journal, A Great Cloud of Witnesses. This is something that we look forward to every school year!
If you're new here, every Monday I will share a short prayer to help you lift up your kids. Each week highlights a biblical hero of the faith, paired with Scripture-based prayers for your kids.
Let's get started with week one:
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9)
Noah was a great man of faith and obedience. During his lifetime, the Lord saw that the world was wicked. Genesis 6 tells us God saw that every inclination of the human heart and mind was evil, and he was deeply troubled by it. While everyone else on earth was living apart from God, Noah looked different. He was righteous, meaning he was in a right relationship with God. Because of his righteousness, God entrusted Noah with an incredible taskbuild an ark to his specific measurements and rescue humankind and animals from a great flood. And we all know what happens after that: They were safe and preserved life on earth.
It sounds crazy and it probably looked crazy. But Noah and his family confidently lived in a way that was outside the norm because of their faith. No doubt Noah was ridiculed for his righteousness both before and while he was building the ark. But he trusted Gods word even when it didnt make sense, and isnt that what we want for our kids as well?
There will be times when following Jesus means standing alone, making choices that others dont understand, getting made fun of, or trusting God in uncertain circumstances. It is not always easy to live a righteous life.
This week, lets pray that our kids grow to be confident in their faith, listen to Gods voice over any others, and choose to live in a right relationship with the Lord even when it looks a little (or a lot) different from the norm.
Lord, help __________ to have a faith like Noah. Help them to grow in righteousness and focus on you and your ways before anything else. When life is challenging or circumstances dont make sense, may they walk in your ways, knowing that they are always good and that you are always faithful. 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. (It also makes a wonderful gift for grandparents or friends!) 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
Our Sponsors:* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com
* Check out Mr. Pen and use my code MESS10 for a great deal: https://mrpen.com
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Why Mentorship Matters with Courtney DeFeo →
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I need EVERYONE to listen to this episode! Its the kickoff episode for this upcoming school season and you will hear about an exciting new mentor program. I feel more excited than ever to be hosting Pardon The Mess this year. I feel expectant at what God is about to do IN and THROUGH our listeners. I believe it will be a multiplying year for all of us.
I prayed for God to give me direction, discernment and a fresh wind for these upcoming episodes. I do not take it lightly that you trust me with your time and heart and I want to steward that well. Pray with me that God moves through these episodes to reach people for Jesus and that we glorify Him through our families.
In todays episode, you will have just me! I will share my journey with mentorship and invite you to join me all year. Maybe God is calling you to disciple or mentor a younger woman or maybe God is nudging you to reach out to a mentor. Either way, this episode will set you up for success and remind you why it matters.
At the end of this weeks episode, I will answer some of your parenting questions. From parenting new drivers to teen girls to young adults - parenting is so hard and we all need practical help. I share some resources and encouragement around a few topics. Let me know what other questions you have. Simply DM me over at Pardon The Mess Podcast on Instagram and I will make a note for our next Q&A episode.
Enjoy!
Courtney
(00:00) Welcome to Part of the Mess
(01:22) The Power of Prayer and Community
(02:38) Embracing Mentorship
(04:52) The Importance of Discipleship
(10:34) Introducing My Virtual Mentor
(15:06) Reframing Your Role as a Mentor
(20:02) Practical Steps for Mentoring
(22:42) Q&A: Addressing Parenting Challenges
Connect with Pardon The Mess:
ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW
Resources from todays show:
Subscribe to Christian Parentings Friday Favorites
Compass Church - Womens Fall Kickoff
Compass Church - Mentor Program
Johnson Ferry Baptist - Titus 2 Mentoring
Goals Sheet
Doing Life With Your Adult Children - book by Jim Burns
Im happy for you, sort of, not really - book by Kay Wyma
The Lion and the Bear - devotional by Caroline Shankle
God Is - devotional by Alena (Pitts) Franklin
The Better Friend - book by Grace Valentine
Girl Mom Podcast by Kari Kampakis
Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org
Our Sponsors:* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com
* Check out Mr. Pen and use my code MESS10 for a great deal: https://mrpen.com
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