BONUS: Love: Trusting Jesus
Jan 6 • 11:17
BONUS: Love: Trusting Jesus
Episode:

BONUS: Love: Trusting Jesus

January 6, 2025 • 11:17 • Courtney DeFeo

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:34)

We have probably all been hurt by trusting someone or something too much. As believing parents, we know that there is something better for our kids when they put their trust in Jesus. Trusting Jesus means surrendering every part of our stories to him and knowing that his plans are good. Even if he feels far away at times, he cares for us and will provide for our needs because the world may under-deliver, but Jesus never breaks a promise.

This means when our kids trust Jesus:

  • They dont need to be afraid when they are put in an unknown situation or life feels uncertain because Jesus always wins. 
  • They can feel confident that Jesus will protect them when they are facing something difficult because God answers his children when they call on him.
  • They are Gods child, no matter how others treat them.
  • They can have hope even in hopeless situations because Jesus has already overcome the world!
  • Their lives will be blessed.

This week, lets pray that our kids fully love God by trusting in Jesus and begin to experience his great promises.

God, I pray that ___________ learns to trust in you and your promises. When they are tempted to believe the promises of the world, may their heart be reminded that you will never forsake them. May they consistently see the sweet fruit that comes from trusting in you with their lives and with their stories. Amen.

Get your printed copy of A Life of Faith: Prayer Journal

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

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Podcast:

Pardon the Mess

With Courtney DeFeo
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. Follow Pardon the Mess on Instagram and Facebook!
All Episodes:
Feb 10 • 16:35
BONUS: Follow: Spiritual Gifts

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another (1 Peter 4:10 NLT)

One of our strong desires as parents is for our kids to find a place of belonging in the world. We want our kids to know that who they are and what they have to offer is important and valuable, and spiritual gifts are one of the ways God empowers us to find belonging and purpose in the world. Helping our kids discover and use their spiritual gifts well will help them see the bigger picture of how they fit into Gods kingdom. 

God made each and every one of our kids uniquely and he gave them all spiritual gifts. Some of these gifts are: teaching, serving, administration, hospitality, mercy, prayer, and more. Spiritual gifts are meant to be used to bring glory to God and using them becomes a testimony of how he has worked in our lives. 

This week lets pray that as our kids follow the Lord, they discover their spiritual gifts, grow into them, and that they are presented with opportunities to use them to serve Gods kingdom. Lets also ask God to help us recognize spiritual gifts in our kids and to share what we see with them. 

Dear God, thank you for the spiritual gifts that you have given ________________. Please reveal to me and to them what those gifts are and show us how you want to use these gifts to encourage others and bring others to Christ. Help them to start to see your purpose for them and to boldly use their gifts to please you! I know you will use them in mighty and awesome ways! Remind my child to value the gifts that you have given them over the things that this world values.

Spiritual Gifts test mentioned in episode: https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/women-leadership-spiritual-gifts-growth-service

Get your printed copy of A Life of Faith: Prayer Journal

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

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* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com
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Feb 6 • 42:10
Are you overparenting? With Steph Thurling

This weeks episode is packed with insights and practical advice for navigating the complexities of parenting during the middle school years. Im joined by Steph Thurling, and together we dive into balancing love, independence, and the continuous learning process of parenting.

Here are four key takeaways from this episode:

  • Parenting evolves as children grow, and middle school years often require creative ways to re-engage with your kids.  
  • Allowing children to experience failure helps them develop responsibility and confidence.  
  • Overparenting can hinder independenceparents should guide their children through problems, not shield them from them.  
  • Self-care for parents is crucial to maintaining balance and avoiding guilt in the parenting journey.  

Steph Thurling is the executive director of Christian Parenting and the host of the Christian Parenting podcast where she encourages parents every week to be the imperfectly perfect parent God created them to be. She is also an author, speaker, and advocate for empowering parents to create lasting family connections. 

I love working alongside Steph at Christian Parenting. Shes a delight and filled with wisdom and encouragement. 

Enjoy!

Courtney 

(01:57) Navigating Parenting Stages

(06:10) Engaging with Middle Schoolers

(10:07) The Balance of Hovering and Letting Go

(13:57) Preparing for Independence

(18:02) Overparenting: Understanding the Roots

(21:06) Navigating the Challenges of Letting Go in Parenting

(24:35) The Importance of Self-Care and Mom Guilt

(26:54) Recognizing Red Flags in Parenting Dynamics

(28:54) Practical Strategies to Avoid Over-Parenting

(31:37) Embracing Independence and Building Confidence in Kids

(34:49) The Balance of Love and Guidance in Parenting

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess 

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from todays show:

Christian Parenting Podcast

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
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Feb 3 • 8:56
BONUS: Confession

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)

Confession is not something that we are typically very comfortable with. No one likes to admit when they do something wrong, especially when its something hurtful or will cause someone to feel disappointed in them. Confessing is vulnerable, its revealing, and sometimes its just downright embarrassing. But like it or not, confession is part of following Jesus.

But when we bring our sins to God we can be assured that he will forgive us. He will make our transgressions as far from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). God wants to forgive us!

In his steadfast love and compassion, Jesus forgives our sins and forgets our transgressions when we confess them. When we start to feel ashamed or guilty, we can remind ourselves that Christ died for that sin too. There is nothing we can do or say that will make God love us less or love us more. He just simply loves us!

Accepting forgiveness requires action from us, though. First, we must confess and then turn from our sin. In John 8, Jesus forgives the woman who was committing adultery, but as he forgives her, he tells her to, go and sin no more, (verse 11). Second, we must forgive others. God expects his followers to forgive each other just as he forgave them (Ephesians 4:32).

Confessing our sins is our get-to and should be a regular part of our faith! There is freedom that can be found in confessing our sins regularly, so lets pray that our kids experience that freedom and experience a desire to confess to God.

Father God, you are faithful to forgive our sins. I pray that __________ would understand the gift of confession and forgiveness. May your Holy Spirit stir up in them a heart to know you better, a spirit of conviction, and a desire to make things right with you. May ________ always remember that there is no condemnation for those who believe, but in you there is freedom. Amen.

Get your printed copy of A Life of Faith: Prayer Journal

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

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Jan 30 • 42:21
How can I stay consistent in parenting this year? with Drew & Michelle Sherman

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my church and pastor? Ron and I feel really grateful that we found a home at Compass Church. Drew Sherman (lead pastor at Compass) and his amazing wife Michelle are on the podcast today. 

It all started with a sermon that he preached at the beginning of the year that was SO GOOD! Even Larson remarked that it was her favorite sermon he has ever done. We are talking about the idea or the issue of: CONSISTENCY. And more specifically, how can we be consistent in our spiritual growth (for us and the kids).

Its so easy to have huge dreams and ideas at the start of a year only to find yourself failing again and tossing your hands up. From physical goals to reading goals to financial goals - staying consistent can be the hardest part. The same is true for our spiritual goals as a family. Drew and Michelle share 4 very practical ways we can all grow in our consistency.

When he talks he gives us a sincere caution: as a pastor, he is often seeing parents with seriously high (unrealistic) goals for their kids. Dont miss his encouragement and warning about exhausting our kids and being fixated on goals that dont matter as much as their walk with Jesus. As he says, Don't miss the ride and the journey!

In this episode, we chat about:

  • Why consistency matters for our spiritual growth
  • Embracing small steps that will lead to lasting change 
  • How to model faith and values in our homes
  • How a grace-filled environment allows for mistakes

Enjoy!

Courtney 

Chapters

00:00

Introduction and Connection

05:03

The Importance of Declaring Intentions

10:01

Consistency as a Catalyst for Change

14:58

Starting Small in Spiritual Growth

20:04

Overcoming the Urge to Give Up

27:29

Navigating Distractions in Modern Parenting

35:12

Cherishing Small Moments in Family Life

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess 

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from todays show:

Compass Church

Drews sermon on CONSISTENCY

Landons sermon on RESPONSIBILITY (mentions manifesting)

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

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Jan 27 • 8:34
BONUS: Follow: Treasures in Heaven

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be (Matthew 6:21 NLT)

Most of us make it a priority to teach our little kids the difference between wants and needs. 

No, you dont need a new Lego set, you want a new Lego set.

I know you dont want to help clean the house, but you need to.

Owning things and wanting things is not a bad thing in itself. What is bad is putting those things before following God. Jesus tells us very clearly that we cannot serve two Gods, meaning we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). Instead of focusing our minds and hearts on all the things that money can buy, we are to focus our minds and hearts on the greatest gift that money cannot buy: Jesus and his kingdom. This is so hard in our current influencer society, where you can't use your phone without feeling like you need to buy something or compare yourself to someone else, and it starts young!

This week lets pray that our kids focus their hearts on things that are eternal instead of temporary. Lets pray that they follow God by putting their energy into what God has for them instead of what the world tells them will make them happy and fulfilled.

Father God, you gave us everything when you gave us the gift of salvation through Jesus. I pray for ___________________. I pray that they store up treasures in heaven, that they fix their eyes on the unseen things that honor and bring glory to you Lord, not on the things of this earth. When they are tempted to idolize material things, give them the strength to see past the temptation and recenter themselves on the things that matter most. Amen.

Get your printed copy of A Life of Faith: Prayer Journal

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

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
About the Host

Courtney DeFeo

Courtney DeFeo is the NEW host of Pardon the Mess! She is the author of In This House, We Will Giggle and Treasured and creator of ABC Scripture Cards and the kindness movement, Light ‘Em Up Acts. She loves to encourage parents and women through speaking, writing, and podcasting. She also serves on the board of For Girls Like You and Lighthouse Family Retreat. Her deepest desire is to encourage others and give generously in a way that draws people to God.

Her most honorable mention is her husband Ron and their two wildly fun girls (Ella, 16 and Larson, 14). Courtney is passionate about Jesus, coffee, Auburn football, Coca-Cola classic, her dog Mazie, spending time with friends and family, and finding deals at TJ Maxx. Although they have lived in Atlanta and Orlando, they currently reside in the DFW area. Courtney’s family loves to serve at Compass Church, travel together, and consume large amounts of table-side guacamole. Connect with Courtney on Instagram or visit CourtneyDeFeo.com.

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