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

Hey friends—welcome to a New Year and a new How’d I Miss That? series. Over the next few weeks, we’re leaning into conversations I love, people I love, and a message that shaped me as I wrote book two, How’d I Miss That? . (Oh—and we’re going to laugh a lot too.) There’s a quote that became the backbone of this book: “There’s very little difference between people—but it’s the little difference tha...

Before we dive in, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all the things! I took the last two weeks off to spend time with all the kids and it’s been a glorious time of renewal. Just kidding—I’ve been running around like a crazy person just like everyone else! Either way, I happy to be back and I’m so grateful for you—every listen, every message, every time you invited me into your day this year....

Today I got to sit down with Sherri Hughes-Gragg—author, mom of five, and someone who speaks about God’s heart with beautiful clarity.  We talked Christmas traditions—the Yanof Family Book Exchange (which started because I refused to let Mike buy himself a full-price book in December), and Sherri’s Santa Soccer, which involved antlers, Santa hats, sugar, and absolute chaos in her yard. Then we wen...

Today I pulled in one of my closest friends, Stephanie Martin , because nothing says “professional podcast” like asking a bestie 24 hours before recording to jump on the show. We kicked off with Thanksgiving—where Stephanie described having college kids home as “being held hostage in the best way,” which perfectly sums up the chaos of adult children wandering in and out of your kitchen like feral...

Today I got to sit down with my new friend Abby Kuykendall , author of Let the Biscuits Burn, and y’all… this girl brought the hospitality revival I didn’t know we needed before Thanksgiving week. Abby has a toddler, another baby due in January, and somehow also managed to write a book in the fog of postpartum life. Meanwhile I once forgot to defrost a turkey until Thanksgiving morning, so we are...

Here’s part two of our shows with my hilarious friend Melissa Radke . This week we pregame the holidays: Texas “sweater weather” that isn’t, Spanx leggings that are life-changing, and crowning Thanksgiving’s Best in Show (Honey Baked Ham, spinach salad, corn casserole—made by the right cousin). We confess our family wild cards (Melissa and her zany mom vs. my husband the political pot-stirrer), sh...

Today’s episode is pure delight and zero agenda, which honestly might be my favorite combination. My friend Melissa Radke is here — author of Chicken Fried Women , host of The Radke Show , queen of honest humor, and possessor of my favorite character quality . . . calling it like it is. I invited her on for one reason and one reason only: she makes me laugh. No outline, no topic list, no heavy mes...

Can we possibly begin with a few “important” announcements today? First, I just got back from Las Vegas last night, and let’s just say the flight was so bumpy I was fully convinced I’d be meeting Jesus before we touched down in Dallas. By God’s grace, I lived to tell the tale. ✈️🙌 We were in Vegas because Mike ran a marathon (woop woop!) and I… well, did not. I did, however, put $20 in a slot mac...

This week I got to sit down with Lysa TerKeurst and Joel Muddamalle —and we tackled a topic the church doesn’t always handle well: divorce . Lysa has a powerful new book coming out, Surviving an Unwanted Divorce , and Joel, who serves as Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries , brings clarity and depth to what Scripture really says (and doesn’t say) about this hard subject. Ly...

I just got back from the State Fair of Texas where I spent approximately a small mortgage and walked what felt like the entire Oregon Trail. My feet are tired, my bank account is wheezing, and I’m convinced Fletcher’s corn dogs are God’s reward for doing hard things. But speaking of big adventures… This week I got to sit down with the amazing Christy Nockels . We kicked things off talking weddings...

Y’all!!! Candace Cameron Bure is back with us today and we cover all the things: weddings, Bible reading plans, Christmas movies, and why the chicken dance might be the best first dance. We start with Natasha’s wedding (cue mom tears). Candace shares the sweetest “something blue” story and the best M.O.B. tip of all time: bring a Mary Poppins bag stocked with everything from boob tape to breakable...

This week we’re back with Part 2 of my conversation with Yusuf Agoro, associate pastor at The Well in Austin. If you heard last week’s episode, you know how powerful his story is—Yusuf shared his journey from growing up in a devout Muslim home to finding faith in Jesus. If you missed it, go back and listen first because it’s so amazing.  In today’s episode we pick up right where we left off, divin...

Today’s show opens with a little prayer of frustration I’ve been praying—and God’s gentle reminder that He’s in every detail. That theme runs through our entire conversation: whether you’re praying for a prodigal, aching for a child who feels unreachable, or wondering if those tiny seeds of faith you’ve planted will ever take root, there is hope. God’s pursuit is relentless, and His timing is neve...

This week we’re back with part two of my conversation with my friend Natalie Runion, and if you missed part one—go listen first! In this episode we get practical about raising kind daughters, building sacred sisterhood, and navigating the everyday challenges that get in the way of healthy friendships. Natalie and I laughed about our own high school mean-girl days (yes, we both had them!) and how G...

I had the best time sitting down with my friend Natalie Runion again on the podcast. We met years ago as brand-new authors, and it’s been such a gift to watch the Lord expand her voice and ministry since then. She’s now the author of three books in just two years—including her latest, I Don’t Even Like Women and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood . Only Natalie could title a book...

Happy Wednesday!!  This week I sat down with my friend Lauren Chandler—worship leader, author, speaker, and wife to Matt Chandler of The Village Church —for a conversation that covered just about everything: parenting adult-ish kids, people-pleasing tendencies, and the messy-but-beautiful parts of marriage. We laughed about what it’s like when your kids are technically grown but you still think ab...

You are going to love today’s conversation. First of all, my guest has an Irish accent, which already makes him sound way smarter and more trustworthy than me. But you’ll also leave saying “faith” like “fifth” and telling everyone not to have a “car” (which, in case you’re wondering, is actually a cow). I’m thrilled to introduce you to Jonathan Murphy, the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Chu...

Let’s play a little did-you-know game: Did you know the Secret Service protects every foreign diplomat who steps foot in the U.S.? Did you know they send motorcades around the world every single time the president travels? Did you know that today’s guest, Darin Kinder, has one of the most jaw-dropping survival stories you’ll ever hear—and he’s right here on MESSmerized ? Today is extra special bec...

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 patienc...

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 Marti...

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, and h...

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-school series I...

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 ge...

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...

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,...