MESSmerized - Funny and faith based encouragement in marriage , family , Christian parenting , and finding purpose

School starts this week!! School starts this week!!

Yes, JB starts third grade—which means I owe his teachers and the entire school staff a formal apology. This summer we let him stay up too late, live on popsicles, talk back like he’s got a Netflix special, and basically roam the house like a frat boy on summer break. I hand him over to you now, untrained and feral. Godspeed, and may your patience be as great...

Happy Wednesday—and happy “last week of summer” to so many of us!

Today wraps up our Know Before You Go summer series, where we’ve been hearing straight from the source—students graduating from college and high school—about what they’ve learned and what they wish parents knew.

But this week, we’re switching gears. We’re talking all things junior high with one of my dearest friends, Stephanie Martin. And trust me: if you’ve ev...

Another week, another Yanof kid takes the mic alongside a few of their friends. 🤪🤪🤪

This week, we’ve got three freshly graduated high schoolers joining us: Brett, Ella, and Riley. They have lots of great insight from their four years of high school, including some pitfalls to avoid and many lessons they learned along the way.

We get real about friendship drama, comparison on social media, an...

Well, the day has finally come. 

After months—okay, years—of BEGGING to be on the podcast, I’ve caved. Today’s guests on MESSmerized are none other than my daughter Kate and her college best friend, Molly. That’s right, I’ve handed over the mic (reluctantly and with mild supervision) to two Gen Z girls who know a thing or two about the college experience.

This kicks off our back-to...

In the wake of heartbreaking news in Texas, I am talking with psychologist Dr. Ken Wilgus about how to walk our kids—and ourselves—through tragedy, fear, and anxiety. 

We will discuss: 

• When it’s okay to “look away” from constant news
• How to know if your child needs help processing trauma
• What to say when teens ask hard questions about faith in the suffering
• The pressure today’s parents feel to get it all right
• Why anxiety in kid...

Let's just start by saying this is not a topic we've talked extensively about on this podcast, but I think it is more relevant now than ever. So let's focus on the important things...

Are people really falling in love with AI chatbots?! Yes. Yes, they are. And that’s where we’re starting on today’s episode. I’m joined by my friend and licensed therapist Kristen Hatton, and we’re diving into the very real (and slightl...

RERELEASE!

What does faithfulness to Jesus look like in this season of life? We're kicking it off with that question on today's show and then moving on to a powerful interview with Megan Fate Marshman. She’s amazing, and we cover everything from parenting fails to perfecting the elusive messy bun. We even had a little fun comparing stereotypes about Texas and California—because apparently, people think Texans ride horses ev...

Just back from Switzerland and Italy (I apologize for the #HumbleBrag) and let me say this: the scenery is gorgeous, the bread is holy, and breakfast is a situation. I also learned the hard way that when you ask for the “bathroom” in Europe, you're really just asking for confusion—and coins. Yes, they refer to bathrooms as “toilets” and for the first time ever I paid to pee. Add that (and the abundance of ice) to the list...

This week, I’m joined by my dear friend and Sidetracked co-host, Heather MacFadyen. We’re talking all things summer—from the ADHD interventions I swear she’s staging, to her full-on Enneagram 4 vibes. We laugh, we cry (okay, not really), and we keep it super honest.

But we also get into the deeper stuff—the lessons we’ve both learned this past year and the surprising ways God shows up...

This week’s episode is a really special one — and kind of a full-circle moment for me — because Chip Waggoner and his son Benjamin were actually my very first podcast guests ever! I still remember that very first recording, and now here we are, years later, sitting down again to reflect on their incredible journey and how God has continued to show up in big and small ways.

You may know Chip as the Fox 4 News Ancho...

When Melissa Radke shows up, you know it’s going to be real, hilarious, and completely unforgettable. If you know Melissa, you already know you're in for laughs, real talk, and probably a few “Did she just say that?” moments (the answer is yes, and we love her for it).

Melissa and I are diving into all the things: podcasting behind the scenes, the chaos of book launches, and what it really looks like to bl...

We’re kicking off this week’s episode with part two of Sappy Cynthia—my newest segment, where I share a little more of the real-life stuff going on over here. This week, I’m talking about my daughter’s college graduation and what made me cry (which was basically most things). 

Then we jump into another great conversation with my pastor and friend, Libin Abraham. I’ve absolutely loved learning more...

Well, we’re starting the show today with a segment I’m calling “sappy Cynthia.” Graduating two kids in the next 10 days has brought out all the feels, and last night was Brett’s last baseball game—talk about full-on nostalgia (alongside a stomach bug I’m currently fighting).

But on today’s show, I’m joined by Libin Abraham, the pastor of my church, Bent Tree Bible. I recently heard Libin preach a powerful sermon series on the Holy S...

This week on MESSmerized, I have the dream team—David Thomas and Sissy Goff. We’re talking all things parenting, and if you’ve ever tried to have a deep conversation with your teenage son and got nothing but a grunt and a request for bacon, this episode is for you.

We tackled the big stuff: anxiety in kids, the social chaos our girls are navigating, and why boys apparently need a full workout and ...

Rebecca George is joining me today to tackle the tricky art of waiting—something that feels way longer than it should in a world that’s constantly rushing forward. We dive into how trusting God's timing (even when it feels like everyone else is ahead) can turn waiting into a season of personal growth and even joy (yes, joy, during the waiting!).

We chat about the dangers of turning desires into idols (oops, we’ve all done it...

This week on MESSmerized, I got to chat again with the one and only Ann Voskamp—and let me just say, if you’re needing a little soul refreshment heading into Easter weekend (and maybe a reminder that God is still in charge even when your week feels like a dumpster fire), this episode is for you.

Ann shared the most incredible story about chasing sheep across the Canadian tundra—yes, actual sheep. ...

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’” — John 12:13

We’re coming up on Palm Sunday, and I honestly can’t think of anyone better to join us this week (and next!) than the one and only Ann Voskamp. And if you’re even slightly tempted to skip this episode for any reason, I’m going to have to lovingly—but firml...

Jim Burns is back for round two on Messmerized! If you missed last week’s episode, stop what you’re doing (unless you’re driving or getting a colonoscopy) and go listen—we talked all about raising kids with sexual integrity, which, let’s be honest, is not the easiest thing in today’s world.

This week, we’re shifting gears and talking about what happens when those kids actuall...

Let’s be real—there’s a long list of things I’d rather do than have “the talk” with my kids. Root canal? Yes. DMV with a missing document? Absolutely. 

But since it’s apparently poor form to let TikTok raise our children, I guess it’s time to step up. Enter Jim Burns, who has spent years helping parents navigate the minefield of talking to their kids about relationships, faith and—brace yourself—sex. He’s here to tell us why we need...