Pardon the Mess with Scarlet Hiltibidal - Christian Motherhood, Biblical Parenting, Raising Christian Kids

She’s baaaccckkkk!!! Did you know that Cynthia Yanof was the first host of Pardon The Mess? She passed the podcast baton to me in May and through this process has become a dear friend. I’m absolutely thrilled to catch up with her today. We talk about how to find and follow the God-sized calling on your life. She shares about her personal journey with foster care and adoption and what that step of...

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” —Isaiah 40:31 A few years ago, Pew Research released a poll revealing that seven in ten US teens considered anxiety and depression a major problem among their peers. Of those participating in the poll, 61 percent indicated they felt pre...

David Thomas never disappoints! As a counselor with decades of experience, David has counseled thousands of families of boys. He brings powerful insight, practical tips, and heartfelt encouragement.  You may be wondering if you are failing at this parenting thing or if there might be something wrong with your son. After this episode, I think you will feel much better about your parenting and your...

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:32   Compassion is one of the defining characteristics of God. He’s sympathetic to our struggles and burdened by what burdens us. But, even more than simply feeling compassion and sympathy toward us emotionally, his compassionate nature moves him to act on our behalf.   This compassion...

Happy New Year!!! Do you love the reset that comes with a New Year or does it stress you out? Either way, I think you’re going to find this conversation refreshing. It’s simple. It’s practical. And very doable. On Pardon The Mess, we talk a lot about being intentional with our families. We talk about our values and how we are going to instill those into our kids. The truth is that all of that take...

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”—John 17:17 Sadie Robertson Huff has said that when she went to her mom for advice during struggles in her teenage years, her mom would always “meet her with Jesus” Meeting our kids with Jesus just might be the most significant thing we can do in our kids’ lives. Satan is the father of lies, looking for ways to misguide and deceive us at every turn....

Happy New Year!!! Let’s take a big sigh together. The New Year can be intense and overwhelming right out of the gate. I don’t know if you’re entering 2024 with a lot of shame or excitement. This episode is such a breath of fresh air that made me feel hopeful. I did this interview live at my church (Compass Church Colleyville) when Ruth was the guest speaker at our Christmas women’s event. It was s...

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” —Psalm 90:12   Every seasoned parent knows how quickly time passes when you’re in the throes of raising kids. It seems like one day they’re toddlers and the next day you’re visiting colleges. Despite being cautioned that “the days are long, but the years are short,” it’s still hard to appreciate how fast it passes until you’re on t...

I am so excited about this month’s episodes. They are designed to be lighthearted and very practical - like we all sat down and had coffee. Today, we are headed into a chat about simplifying our style and skin care with two of my besties. Get fired up for some lighthearted banter about jeans, winter shoes, budget ideas, places to shop, aging skin care, drugstore favorites and much more. I hope you...

“‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).” —Matthew 1:23   When I was growing up, my family had a beautiful Christmas nativity in our living room that had been hand-painted by my grandmother. I remember the meticulously adorned kings, the elegant white angel, and the pristine animals more fit for a banquet than a barn.   It wo...

What a delight to chat with Tara Leigh Cobble - founder of The Bible Recap that has reached over 320 million people. I know we all want to read God’s word and believe it’s important. However, the majority of folks experience the feelings of being overwhelmed and lost during that process. Tara has so much encouragement because she has also been there. You will just love her encouragement and disarm...

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’” —Luke 2:10   The odds are pretty good that you will sing “Joy to the World” at a Christmas service this season. It’s a classic Christmas carol with a great reminder of why we have joy.   Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!   These simple words explain th...

I am so excited about this month’s episodes. They are designed to be lighthearted and very practical - like we all sat down and had coffee. Last week, we got to chat about simplifying traditions around Christmas. And this week, we have two more of my dearest friends to talk about all things HOME & SYSTEMS. You are going to wish these two could come over and sort your entire house. They are bot...

“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” —Psalm 121:7–8 It’s hard to feel safe when the news all around us tells a different story. But we can trust in the Lord’s protection because there is nothing he cannot do. He created everyone and everything in the universe and has complete control over every...

You are in for a treat! Courtney brings two of her very best friends on to get real about Christmas traditions. These three have been friends since their kids were babies and now they can look back over 18 years of parenting and share perspective.  In addition to some fun and simple ideas, they also share about the unnecessary pressure we put on ourselves during the Christmas season. They talk abo...

“The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.” —Proverbs 20:7 NLT   When we think about God’s character, we probably think of attributes like righteousness, holiness, mercy, love, and justice. The Bible reminds us that the character of God is unchanging: he’s the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He’s dependable, he’s consistent, he’s compassionate, a...

I have long admired Pastor Levi Lusko and his ability to portray the absolute power and sovereignty of God in a way that we can all understand. He is a gifted pastor, teacher and communicator that always leaves me feeling seen, known and inspired. I first heard Pastor Levi at Passion Conference and have followed his teachings since that time. Today’s conversation centers around how to marvel at Go...

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” —John 1:5 A quick glance at the news confirms that our culture’s moral code is growing further away from the truths of Scripture. With the widening of this gap, our kids will likely face more scrutiny and persecution for living biblically than many of the generations before them. Even so, we have the message of truth and are...

Tissue alert! This one was incredibly special to me - a tearful and honest check in with Jonathan and Peta Pitts during a deeply painful season of their lives. Although, those in the midst of grief will absolutely resonate - I do believe this episode is for every single one of us. Somewhere in our stories, we endure deep loss and are left standing with many questions for God. This week of Thanksgi...

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”  —Psalm 107:1   The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621 despite having recently lost half of their population to a harsh winter filled with contagious diseases. By celebrating their first successful harvest, they reminded a young nation of the importance of giving thanks in all circumstances.   Today, most of us s...

This is a big statement, but accurate: Toni might be our funniest guest so far. I was so highly amused by her experiences with krumping and twerking in the club. And I was deeply moved by her passion to help broken women find hope and healing. Toni is a returning guest to Pardon The Mess because you all LOVED her so much the first time. She is the founder of an international women’s organization c...

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” —Matthew 6:19–20 Everything we have has been given to us by God. When we really stop and think about this truth, it can’t help but reframe how we operate in light of God’s generosity toward us. The gospel calls us to be generous...

It didn’t take me long to hear that Kayla Craig is a peaceful, gentle soul. You can absolutely tell she is a parent bathed in prayer and has a heart to help parents in the midst of really painful journeys. Kayla speaks about her child with Down Syndrome and shares about a time that a “book of prayers” helped her find the words when she didn’t have any. My favorite part is towards the end when we a...

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” —James 1:22 Many of us have heard Bible stories for as long as we can remember. We learned about a young boy named David defeating a huge giant with a slingshot, an honorable man named Noah building an ark having never experienced rain, and the story of Daniel walking unharmed out of a lions’ den because of God’s prote...

This is a big one. Titania Jordan, Chief Parent Officer and CMO of Bark, is with us today. Please don’t miss this conversation and share it with friends. You likely have the feeling of fear rising up in you as you see the topic. As parents, we have to face the beast of technology. The safety and overall health of our kids is on the line. The good news is that you are NOT ALONE in the struggle, and...