When your kids trigger you with Sissy Goff

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32)

Compassion literally means to suffer together. It means that we see someones pain or needs and we want to help them. 

Jesus shows compassion over and over through scripture. We dont need to be afraid of stepping into someones suffering with them. Entering into that does not mean we take on their burdens or pain, it means we offer relief and love in any way we can. But no matter how we can help others or how others can help us, Jesus is always overflowing with compassion and with us in all our sufferings. 

This week, lets pray that our kids share compassion with others. Lets ask God to give them the eyes to see the needs around them and the compassion to move to action.

Jesus, help us to be more and more like you every day. I pray that _____________ grows to be filled with compassion. May their hearts overflow with compassion, just like yours does, when they see needs around them. May they step into the suffering of others knowing that you are there too. 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

Get ready to laugh! We all need some more Melissa Radkes in our lives. Melissa is not just funny - shes a mom that is immensely talented. Shes a best-selling author, speaker and television personality. She reminds me of Seinfeld in the ways she observes everyday life and finds the amusement in it all.

I dont know about you, but I need to have moments in my everyday life to simply lighten up and enjoy it. This episode will allow you to pause and enjoy a chat about all things women. She shares the most hysterical stories about growing up in the South while also sharing heartfelt thoughts on her journey as a mom. She is simply delightful! 

Dont miss her heartfelt and honest encouragement about learning to accept who you are. She is at a point in her life where she feels settled in her body and personality. However, there was a season when she prayed to be someone else. I pray that last little bit will encourage you in a deep way. Let the truth of what she says sink into your heart that the God who created you loves exactly who you are.

Much love,

Courtney 

Chapters

(03:01) Navigating Life in Texas

(05:51) Graduation and College Preparations

(08:56) The Importance of Female Friendships

(12:02) The Impact of Women in Our Lives

(14:56) Preparing for College Life

(17:58) Facing Loneliness in College

(18:16) Shared Experiences and Humor in Childhood

(20:21) Nostalgic Family Memories and Food Traditions

(23:51) The Role of Food in Family Dynamics

(26:18) Finding One's Identity and Acceptance

(30:01) Embracing Authenticity and Personal Growth

(32:53) The Joy of Laughter and Connection

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:

Connect with Melissa Radke 

Chicken-Fried Women - Melissas new book 

Moms, Dads and Grads Gift Guide

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

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too (Mark 11:25 NLT)

Forgiveness is an art. We coach our kids to forgive others by modeling confession and forgiveness ourselves and by using their sibling conflicts as examples, but it takes a long time and a lot of patience. Few things are as frustrating as one child giving an apathetic, Im sorry paired with an eye roll.

But forgiveness is so important because it is one of the main themes of the gospel and its such a powerful way to share Gods love and grace with the people around us. Just as Christ forgave us of our sins, we must forgive others! James 2:17 goes so far as to tell us that faith without deeds is deadmeaning faith that does not produce good fruit is not faith at all. So if we claim to follow Jesus, we must follow his example of forgiving others! So it is really important that our kids learn to forgive others well. 

God made forgiveness an important command and the cool thing is, he did not do it haphazardly. Forgiving others releases us from grudges and resentment, but forgiveness is also good for your mental and physical health! I love the way God cares for us so intentionally! Luckily, we dont have to forgive on our own. We can ask God for strength to help us forgive others, the way that he has forgiven us. 

This week, lets pray that our kids will generously forgive others and reconcile broken relationships. 

Lord, I pray that ____________sees forgiveness and reconciliation at home and learns to do it well. May they experience a holy unrest when they sin, may they freely confess, and seek to reconcile. When others offend them, may they be quick to forgive and offer mercy. I pray they are a model of forgiveness within their friend groups so that they can show Christs example of forgiveness and grace to those around them. 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

Do you have a tween? This episode is for YOU! Jonathan is one of my very favorite dads on the planet. Hes a pastor, husband, dad of one young adult, 3 teens and a one year old! Youve heard him on Pardon The Mess before with his beautiful wife Peta Pitts as they have navigated loss together. Alena Pitts is Jonathans oldest daughter and someone I admire and respect so much. This father-daughter conversation is incredibly rich and entertaining. 

Todays episode is a very practical one. Alena and Jonathan offer 3 ways we can help our tweens thrive. Alena offers a unique perspective as the oldest child in the family. She looks back at what she appreciated most. Jonathan brings perspective of raising his four daughters while also managing a ministry specifically for tween girls.

My favorite part is towards the end when Jonathan encourages us to lay down all the pressures and stuff that is fleeting. How we can continue to prioritize the relationship with our kids over all the things that are fleeting. 

In this episode we chat about:

• Practical ways to help your teens thrive
• Parenting introverted kids vs extroverted
• Ways to own your role as a parent in their spiritual development

Enjoy!

Courtney

(00:00) Navigating Newlywed Life

(03:01) The Joys of Parenting

(06:19) The Importance of Family Devotions

(09:48) Supporting Tweens in Community

(14:43) Building Connections Through Shared Stories

(18:16) The Role of Parents in Child Development

(20:10) Instilling Truth and Sound Doctrine

(25:48) The Importance of Fun and Lightheartedness

(32:19) Encouragement for Stressed Parents

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:

Connect with Alena

Connect with Jonathan

For Girls Like You - magazine and resources for tween girls

Jonathan and Peta Pitts episode 

Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide

Enjoy 20% off the For girls Like You Magazine subscription by using code: pardonthemess.

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

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:2526)

I cannot imagine a more disheartening period than the time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Jewish people waited so long for a Messiah and Jesus disciples found him and followed him! They dropped their entire lives to learn from him and spread his message. And then, in their lack of understanding, they watched him die on the cross and buried him. Can you imagine the defeat?

But as Bob Goff says, Darkness fell, His friends scattered, hope seemed lost - But heaven just started counting to three.

The good news of Easter is that there is life and hope after death! 

Just when the disciples surely thought maybe they were wrong or maybe they misunderstood, Jesus rose. Friday and Saturday were hard, but Sunday redeemed it all. We talk about it so often nowadays that sometimes the miracle of it all is lost on us. But lets not forget: God loved the world so much that even though it was broken, he made a plan to save it by sending his son for us. All we have to do is believe in that and we are saved. Its the simplest, yet most beautiful message of hope for everyone. If your child has not accepted Jesus as savior, lets pray for that this week. If they have, lets pray they deepen their relationship with him and share his good news!

So as we prepare for Easter, lets pray that our kids are people who know and share the good news that when all else seems hopeless, hope lives.

Father God, thank you for sending your son to die on the cross for our sin. I pray that ____________ will accept Jesus as their savior and cling to the hope that he provides. May _______________ be a messenger of the good news of the gospel to everyone that they meet. Amen.

Why is the gospel good news

Why share the good news