Pardon the Mess: A Christian Parenting Podcast

The disciples were walking with Jesus one day when they happened upon a blind man. They asked Jesus whether the man’s parents or the man himself had sinned, causing him to be blind. Jesus said neither, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:1–3). And then Jesus put mud on the blind man’s eyes and gave him sight. 

Discussing the truths of this passage of Scripture might be my favorite part o...

Happy Father’s Day to our dads!

Father’s Day wasn’t officially recognized as a national holiday until 1972. And almost fifty years later, we’re still thankful for the opportunity to celebrate all the dads in our lives and what they mean to our families. 

As we think fondly of our dads this weekend, let’s not miss the opportunity to acknowledge the universal “daddisms” that make them who they are. 

For instance, when they say ...

Happy Father’s Day to our dads!

Father’s Day wasn’t officially recognized as a national holiday until 1972. And almost fifty years later, we’re still thankful for the opportunity to celebrate all the dads in our lives and what they mean to our families. 

As we think fondly of our dads this weekend, let’s not miss the opportunity to acknowledge the universal “daddisms” that make them who they are. 

For instance, when they say ...

When it comes to technology, we’re raising our kids in a completely different world than the one we grew up in. The advancement of technology has provided some great benefits for our kids, most recently seen with online schooling successes during COVID-19. But technology has also given rise to some really sad statistics showing a steep increase in pornography use during quarantine.

Kristen Jenson, founder of Protect Young Minds, ...

We’re all trying to process the tragic death of George Floyd and the unrest in our country this week. Many of us, myself included, are hesitant to say too much for fear of saying something wrong or making it worse in some way. 

But, as believers, we are instructed to stand up for the oppressed and to love those around us “not just in words or speech, but with actions and truth” (1 John 3:18). 

So how do we do that well? 

I ha...

Mark Batterson is with us today on Pardon the Mess, speaking about reframing our biggest obstacles. By reframing obstacles as God-ordained opportunities, we allow him to do his work in us. We allow God to ensure we give him the glory as having done something bigger than we could imagine doing ourselves. 

In a time when COVID-19 has thrown a complete wrench in all the things we call normal and predictable, today’s podcast is a good ...

“We’ll never be a perfect parent, but we can be a praying parent.” —Mark Batterson

Today we wrap-up nine months of praying over our kids this school year.  As I look back over the past few months, I’m amazed by the things we’ve seen and experienced in this country. We have witnessed things that we never could have imagined last August while taking our beloved first day of school pictures. 

Thankfully, none of it surprises God. 

If ...

As a Mom, one of my recurring concerns is a focus on how to ensure my kids have a deep faith. When my kids leave the house, after eighteen years of growing, guiding, and leading them, I want them to understand why we believe what we believe. I realize that ultimately it’s up to them to decide whether to follow God or not. But I often find myself pondering the question: What is the best way for us to set them up to make the most imp...

“The only thing getting thin during this quarantine is my patience.” – Author Unknown

I don’t know who said this, but I give it a resounding amen as we kick off week nine of sheltering in place. Who’s with me?

This week we’re praying patience over our kids, and I’m guessing few of us feel qualified to teach anyone a lesson in patience these days. Thankfully the Lord models his great patience in dealing with us and guides us with gr...

Terra’s ministry lies at the corner of theology and therapy. She is available NOW to share healthy relationship wisdom with parents of girls (from her new book, Courageous):

ª  How to raise courageous girls in a world of fear, anxiety and loneliness

ª  Teaching the truth about intimacy: we are loved and can have intimacy with God and others outside of sex

ª  Empowering daughters (and moms!) with five tools for creating calm in the ...

Do you ever feel lacking in the mom department? Do you find yourself drowning in the mundane, frantically searching for a greater purpose in the throes of laundry, dishes, teenage battles, and potty training?

Me too. Every season of parenting offers hardships that leave me questioning: “God, when will I serve your greater purpose?”

Authors and co-founders of the Risen Motherhood ministry, Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, join me ...

Today I am honored to talk with my friend, Lisa Clark, about praying submission for our kids. Submission is often talked about in the church, but it is rarely understood in its full context. It is not just something to be modeled in marriage, but something to be modeled to our kids as well. Join Lisa and me as we talk about how we, as parents, model the same submission that Christ modeled in going to the cross. My hope is that you ...

Do you feel quarantined out? Are you struggling with feelings of getting it all wrong? We’re right there with you. 

Author, speaker, and mom of four, Laura Smith chats with us about giving ourselves grace as we parent in these hard days. We talk about navigating the disappointment our kids are facing, while also finding hope in the bigger picture of Jesus. 

Laura gives us a great reminder about using this time to model our faith we...

I played in a band growing up. 

Okay, so it wasn’t so much “a” band as “the” band. I played the clarinet and—if I’m honest—I felt pretty good about it until I hit high school. The first time I saw my sporty friends head off to their games, dressed in cute uniforms, I became keenly aware that my elective of choice was lacking in the cool department. There I was, left behind holding my plume (you young kids google the plume and you’l...

If you have found yourself wondering what it’s like to live in New York City during a pandemic, Eric Metaxas is your guy! On today’s episode of Pardon the Mess, he speaks to this question and so much more.  

Metaxas is a New York Times #1 bestselling author, the host of the Eric Metaxas Radio Show, an international speaker, and a trusted cultural analyst on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. More significantly, he’s a devout Christian. He b...

I’m not sure there’s anything more significant we can pray for our kids than praying for their purity. Our culture is riddled with confusing messages relating to sexuality, and pornography is pervasive in our technology inundated world. If we’re honest, raising kids with biblical purity can seem near impossible in today’s culture.

Noel Bouché of pureHOPE joins us today to talk about what purity really means (and doesn’t mean). H...

“There’s blessing in any story that ignites our longing for Christ.” —Nicole Zasowski

This is my favorite quote from today’s podcast, words that ring true as we consider our days in the COVID-19 pandemic. This time of uncertainty can either create more anxiety and unrest in our lives, or it can create a longing for an even deeper connection with Jesus, as we recognize that this world is not our home.

I’m praying we emerge from th...

My husband, Mike, grew up in a wonderfully loving home, but his family did not know Christ. He did not learn about Christianity until high school, when some baseball friends invited him to Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

These high school boys didn’t have all the right words or the big doctrinal arguments that best resonate with my husband. Nope—Mike just remembers how they lived differently than the rest of the pack, and h...

Wynter and Jonathan Pitts were married for fifteen years and twenty-seven days, until July 24, 2018, when Wynter unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. Wynter left behind a family of four girls, a handful of books, and a ministry to tween girls—For Girls Like You. The niece of Tony Evans and the cousin of Priscilla Shirer, Wynter came from a strong family of faith.

Jonathan Pitts is a speaker and executive pastor at Church of ...