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

I have long admired and respected the work of author and speaker, Jennifer Dukes Lee. It was such a treat to meet Jennifer during this interview and ask her all about the idea of “journaling.” In this episode, we discuss the benefits of being honest with God, how to encourage your kids to journal, and how to look back and assess our lives in a way that brings healing and hope.   My favorite part o...

This week Jeannie Cunnion and I talk about how often we try to parent in our own strength. We discuss how our relationship with the Holy Spirit can change the game of parenting and why this idea feels super spiritual or super strange.    Jeannie encourages us to access this unbelievable power and learn how to recognize God’s voice in this way. We can feel like we have to earn this level of faith,...

It’s not every day we get to hear from an NFL football player and his wife about raising 7 children - while trying to honor God, stay married AND do ministry together. Kirsten and Benjamin are the Directors of the NFL for Pro Athletes Outreach. In addition to this important work, they also spend time equipping and encouraging families through speaking and writing.   You will enjoy hearing these UG...

This week, we get to hear from one of my all-time favorite moms and leaders - Elisabeth Hasselbeck. She has worn many hats over the years - from Survivor contestant to co-host of The View to shoe designer to carpool mom and NFL wife and now author and speaker.   In this episode, we get into specifics around how to trust God. And how to teach our kids to trust God in prayer even when he feels silen...

This week, Sissy Goff and David Thomas with Daystar Counseling are here! Each of them have been counseling kids for over 30 years. I cannot think of two individuals that have impacted my parenting in a more practical and profound way.    In this episode, we talk about a few of the challenges with raising our kids in a scary and sometimes dark time. From anxiety to school shootings - we’ve never fe...

This week is a big week for Pardon the Mess! If you missed last week’s show, go back and hear the announcement about our new host, Courtney DeFeo. In this episode, Courtney and Cynthia talk about how this decision unfolded and the challenges of obeying God even when it’s messy and unclear. Our show today is a super-fun conversation with Cynthia and Courtney giving a deep dive into these exciting c...

We did it!   We’ve made it to last week of our 2022-2023 prayer journal and praying our kids through the school year. 🙌🏼   I can’t think of a better way to wrap things up than to pray for our kids to walk with God. Today we’re talking very practically about ways to do that, and how the Psalms give a roadmap for weathering the ups and downs of our everyday faith.   On a personal note, I want to t...

Today is a big day for Pardon the Mess! We’ve got an announcement that we’re so excited to share with you. At the end of May, Cynthia will be leaving Pardon the Mess and passing the mic to our dear friend Courtney DeFeo. Courtney is a wife, mom, author, speaker, and 100% the authentic and hilariously real friend we all need.    Our show today is a super-fun conversation with Cynthia and Courtney g...

Having an inaccurate view of who we are to God is one of the enemy’s greatest weapons for keeping us discouraged, defeated, and ineffective for Kingdom purposes.    Today we’re praying for our kids to have the heart knowledge (not just head knowledge) of who they are in Christ. We’re praying they understand at the deepest levels how they were designed perfectly in the image of God and nothing can...

Emily Ley is always such a delight and today is no exception. She’s a master planner and creator with a knack for organization within the boundaries of real life. It was so fun to get a peek into her morning routine and a few ideas for keeping ourselves sane in the upcoming summer months.    I especially loved her words on being comfortable with who we are, while also being comfortable with who we...

“Faith thrives in holy discomfort. The greatest moments in life can often result from some of the most uncomfortable decisions being made. Nothing worth having comes without a cost.” - Louie Giglio    This is one of my favorite quotes and it speaks perfectly to life in the middle of the struggle. Sometimes perspective is the key to handling life’s biggest struggles and knowing that God always cont...

Lisa Whittle is joining us today and she’s an amazing speaker, podcaster, and author. We’re talking about the chasm between our head knowledge and our heart knowledge and how only God fills that gap. He knows our every worry, anxiety, and daily routine. Why does this matter? Because he loves us and so desperately wants to use us for His glory.    Lisa also cautions us to watch out for things that...

Life gives us lots of good days while also throwing in some bad ones along the way too. As adults we know life is hard on this side of heaven, and knowing where to turn in our hardest moments is critically important.    This week we’re praying for our kids to know what David knew in Psalm 13—trusting God means trusting Him even on the hard days.      As parents our knee-jerk reaction is to try and...

I recently attended the IF: Gathering and had the privilege of worshiping through music with the amazing Christy Nockels. I’ve always been a huge fan of her music, but in recent days I’m an even bigger fan of her heart for the Lord.   Today is super fun because we get a glimpse into the creative process behind her latest album, This is the Hour. She talks about coming to a place of complete exhaus...

Sometimes, the worst advice comes from the most well-intentioned people in our lives. I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely given and received lots of bad advice over the years.    Today we’re considering King David’s model for giving advice, which is simply pointing people to the Lord through our words and actions. In Psalm 31, David advises that in life’s very hardest places we are to love...

Many of us are at the stage of caring for our aging parents. If you are not, it’s probably headed your way in the not too distant years. Undoubtedly it can be a hard topic, but loving our aging parents is a really important one we’re tackling today.    Sarah Smith joins us today to share her journey of caring for her mom who was diagnosed with early onset Alzhemiers. Sarah is honest about the chal...

Over and over again we’re called to live differently as followers of Jesus. The way we defend ourselves is one example of living counter culturally and exactly what we’re praying for this week. When we are wronged the world returns the favor with equal vengeance. But the reality is that real justice only comes from the Lord, and we’re called to wait on him who is faithful, upright, and just. (Deut...

If there were a contest for great names of podcasts and books, Heather MacFadyen of “Don’t Mom Alone” just might win. Heather is my dear friend and is joining us today to talk about an incredibly important topic: Occupying your God-given space. She’s written an amazing new book on this topic, and we get to hear her heart behind it first-hand today.    This conversation is so practical when we’re w...

Imagine a world in which we decide today to trust God with everything we have and from this moment forward we live in His peace and confidence because of that decision. It’s truly hard to imagine, right?    Instead, I’ve found that trusting God is a lifelong process of reminding ourselves how God is good and why he’s trustworthy. It’s going back to biblical truth that he’s our strength and our shi...

Who read Kisses from Katie all those years ago and was blown away by a teenage girl who left her affluent life in the US to move to Uganda? That was the beginning of an amazing journey for Katie Davis Majors, who was also busy fostering and adopting 13 kids by the time she was 23. Talk about refusing to play it safe in life!   Today Katie is with us, and we’re talking about her new book, Safe All...

I read a study recently that indicates our life expectancy is 79.3 years. When you’re young that number feels like an eternity as you consider the long road of life you have in front of you. And as you age, well, you realize how fleeting time really is and how important it is to make your days count.    This week we’re praying for our kids to live with urgency in their lives and number their days...

What is that “thing” you know deep down you’re called to do?   What phone call are you supposed to make? What book does your heart want to write? What is the nagging feeling you’re pushing down even knowing God is calling you to step out a little further in faith?    Rebecca George is with us today to talk about this exact subject. We’re talking about doing the very things God created us to do and...

If you’re anything like me, the word “influencer” tends to leave a bad taste in your mouth. In this day and age of social media born superstars, it’s easy to discount our influence and feel like we can’t change lives because we don’t have the right platform, title, or following.    But this week we’re taking a deep dive into this idea of influence and praying for our kids to realize that no matter...

The people have spoken.    Pastor Steve Frissell joined us last September for the very first time and you guys loved him so much that I begged him to come back again today! If you missed his first appearance, go back and listen because I promise it will reshape your thoughts on teens and dating relationships.    Today Pastor Steve is joining me to talk about our marriages and why it’s necessary to...

Raise your hand if you’re overwhelmed in some area of your life.    My fairly unscientific poll indicates that 9 out of 10 of us raised our hands. (And I’m guessing the rest of you thought the question was rhetorical. 😂)   If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by finances, family issues, parenting, and everything in between. The stress and anxiety that comes with being overwhelm...