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

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” It means that we see someone’s pain or needs and we want to help them.  Jesus shows compassion over and over through scripture. We don’t need to be afraid of stepping into someone’s suffering with them. Entering into that does not mea...

Get ready to laugh! We all need some more Melissa Radkes in our lives. Melissa is not just funny - she’s a mom that is immensely talented. She’s a best-selling author, speaker and television personality. She reminds me of Seinfeld in the ways she observes everyday life and finds the amusement in it all. I don’t know about you, but I need to have moments in my everyday life to simply lighten up and...

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (Mark 11:25 NLT) Forgiveness is an art. We coach our kids to forgive others by modeling confession and forgiveness ourselves and by using their sibling conflicts as examples, but it takes a long time and a lot of patience. Few things are as frustrating as one...

Do you have a tween? This episode is for YOU! Jonathan is one of my very favorite dads on the planet. He’s a pastor, husband, dad of one young adult, 3 teens and a one year old! You’ve heard him on Pardon The Mess before with his beautiful wife Peta Pitts as they have navigated loss together. Alena Pitts is Jonathan’s oldest daughter and someone I admire and respect so much. This father-daughter c...

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” (John 11:25–26) I cannot imagine a more disheartening period than the time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The Jewish people waited so long for a Messiah and Jesus’ disciples found him and followed hi...

Have you ever felt like you are too far gone? That some things in your life are too broken for God to fix? In this week’s episode with Meshali - we start out talking ranch and pimento cheese and then dive into the freedom that she has experienced with her painful story and God’s glory. Meshali is a photographer, speaker, author, amazing aunt and friend to many.  Dive in and enjoy a really honest c...

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11) Jesus gave his life so that we could live ours fully and God wants us to give and give generously and joyfully as a response to that. Generosity is more than giving money, especially for our kids! We can and should give generously...

Happy April Pardon The Mess Family! Do you have a fellow mom that always calls you higher? I have been friends with Kirsten for over 20 years and she is that kind of mom friend. When we catch up, we get to our priorities fast. And that’s what you hear about today - her priorities and how to make some progress in those. Kirsten is a wife to retired NFL player Benjamin Watson, mom of 7 beautiful chi...

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16) Salt and light are often spoken about together and it seems like an odd pairing, but Jesus shared these two things for a reason! Salt and light give life.  When we pray that our kids are the salt of the earth, we pray that our kids have a faith that is enticing...

From the reality TV show “Married to Jonas” to becoming a mom to postpartum to a viral blog and recently a cancer journey - Dina’s story reminds us all that God will never leave us. I’m so thankful I had the chance to get to know Dina and her incredible story. She feels like a mom I would meet at the park and then I’d want to sit for hours and laugh and cry. Dina is the REAL deal!  Although, I boo...

“Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’” (Matthew 4:19 NLT) When Jesus tells his future disciples that he will make them fishers of men, I don’t think he was envisioning them sitting in a boat waiting for bites. To be a successful fisherman, you have to go where the fish are hungry and cast your net (or your line).  Jesus planned to use his discipl...

It’s not everyday you get to interview someone that disconnected in an extreme way. Carlos Whittaker wanted to really test his attachment to his phone and learn from the power disconnecting. So he went to live in an Amish community, in a monastery, and then did life at home without a device. His lessons are so powerful about how to reconnect with the ones we love most. When we recorded this episod...

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7) The Greek word for anxiety means “cut up into pieces.” So when we feel anxious we feel cut up or divided, and if you’ve ever struggled...

Grace Valentine is BACK! You all absolutely loved the first episode and you will love this one even more. Grace is a firecracker for Jesus. That’s what a grandma would say - but it’s so true. She comes in with such energy and truth that will just fire you up. She is a speaker, author and podcast host and is impacting thousands of young women around the world. On today’s episode we talk about all t...

Depending on how old your kids are, the idea of praying for their future spouse and family may feel like a stretch. But even if your child is currently toddling around your house playing with blocks and eating cheerios, it’s never too early to start praying for their future family. Maybe it’s easier to imagine if your kids are older, but at some point in the future, your child will more than likel...

Do you spend time overthinking? I sure do, but can honestly say it’s gotten way better over the years. This episode is dedicated to my small group of senior girls. They were telling me that “overthinking” is taking them down for so many days. That conversation had me pondering about the topic and I wanted to help them with this struggle. So, I got Jon Acuff back on the podcast to help me wrestle t...

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT) On top of these difficult conversations, our kids are growing up in a world that increasingly values individual truth over God’s truth; a world where everyone is encou...

Did you know that Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network? There are 29 podcasts for Christian parents within our network. Our guest today, Jessica Hurlbut , is the co-host of the popular Full Spectrum Parents podcast, a faith-based podcast for parents who are raising kids with autism. I learned so much from Jessica today and I know you will too. Whether you are raisin...

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5 NLT) The Bible tells us that God is generous in sharing his wisdom with us—all we have to do is ask for it. Even more, he won’t rebuke us or be disappointed in us when we ask for his wisdom, he wants to give it to us! (James 1:5). We should never be embarrassed to ask God for help o...

Do you have daughters? Do you have some mom wounds? Are you facing some “mean girl” moments as you raise your daughters? Then, you cannot miss this one. I’m always amazed at the way Melanie Shankle cuts through the clutter of life and gets to the core of the issue. She’s one of my very favorite moms out there - I have always read her books, learned from her journey, admired her faith and soaked up...

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11–12) Because we love our kids and want what’s best for them, we want them to grow up to be well-rounded, healthy, successful, godly people, so we establish boundaries in their lives and we reinforce them when they are broken. We...

Raise your hands if you are excited about talking with your teen about sexual integrity? Not me. These are hard, but necessary conversations we must have with our kids. I have the very best voices in this area, Jim Burns and Erin Mashaw, on the podcast today. In this episode, we discuss the complexities of parenting, particularly in relation to sexuality and communication. We talk about the import...

“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT) One of our strong desires as parents is for our kids to find a place of belonging in the world. We want our kids to know that who they are and what they have to offer is important and valuable, and spiritual gifts are one of the ways God empowers us to find belonging...

This week’s episode is packed with insights and practical advice for navigating the complexities of parenting during the middle school years. I’m joined by Steph Thurling, and together we dive into balancing love, independence, and the continuous learning process of parenting. Here are four key takeaways from this episode: Parenting evolves as children grow, and middle school years often require c...

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9) Confession is not something that we are typically very comfortable with. No one likes to admit when they do something wrong, especially when it’s something hurtful or will cause someone to feel disappointed in them. Confessing is vulnerable, it’s revealing, and sometim...