Have you ever had a season where you question everything about yourself? Have you found yourself in an insecure spot and wonder if you’re too late or too old? Do you wonder if you have anything to offer the world?

I have been in this place more times than I can count. Being a mom and balancing career and purpose and raising kids can be very complicated and very discouraging. It’s so very hard to discern what to do when God feels quiet and sometimes the path feels uncertain or vulnerable.

My guests today, Cari Trotter and Terri Flannagan, share their own stories about why it’s so hard to discern around career and calling. I believe their honest feelings and practical advice will encourage you in your own journey.

Please don’t miss this entire episode. It’s a little long, so you may need to listen in two parts. My favorite part is at the end when we start tackling the practical stuff. What do we do with a complicated situation? How can we take a step? How can we discern what to do in the next season?

I pray this episode meets you in such a special way. That you feel like we opened your heart and soul and spoke to a place that needs encouragement. I am insanely thankful for authentic and honest friends that love me and love Jesus. It’s a true gift.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Handling a midlife crisis, work and reinventing ourselves
• Balancing careers and raising kids
• How to discern what God has for us
• How to fight the very loud lies that want us silent and frozen

00:00

Introduction and Entertaining Start

04:02

Talking About Fashion and Passion Projects

05:50

Midlife Crisis, Work, and Reinventing Ourselves

08:51

Introductions and Current Life Situations

11:54

Why Balancing Work and Personal Life is Hard

16:38

Discerning What's Next and Dealing with Lies

22:13

Navigating Transitions and Evaluating Priorities

25:20

Dealing with Comparison and Seeking Authenticity

27:13

Being True to Yourself and Finding Support

31:48

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

34:46

Staying Rooted and Grounded

37:13

Embracing Silence and Growth

44:34

The Journey of Faith

50:56

Redefining Success

57:45

Embracing Struggles and Failure

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from today’s show:

CariTrotter.com

Party On Purpose - Cari’s business with girls

Cari’s Instagram

TerriFlannagan.com

The Unreal Reel - Terri’s Instagram

You can imagine, I have been quite excited to share this episode with you all. Priscilla Shirer is one of the gifted preachers that has inspired me and challenged me so much over the years.

I was so thrilled to get a chance to interview her about her latest movie and book. The Forge, produced by The Kendrick Brothers, is set to release next week. I Surrender All, her latest book, just came out last week.

Both of those new projects are all about surrender. How can we surrender our lives and go from being a believer to a disciple? I loved how she teaches us about that difference and how the idea of surrendering all can truly impact our faith (and our families).

Although Priscilla is a world-renowned teacher, preacher, actor and writer - she’s also a mom, just like us, giving it her very best. I love hearing about the ways her amazing parents instilled the practices of faith. She shares about their consistency and what she remembered about growing up in a house that honored God.

Don’t forget to grab your Prayer Journal! We will be starting to pray through that together on Pardon The Mess on September 9. Grab a friend or your small group and let’s commit to pray for our kids this entire school year.

In this episode, we chat about:

• The difference between being a believer and a disciple
• How to walk through grief and hold onto your faith
• How to instill faith in our kids when they aren’t into it
• How to stay consistent with honoring God with your kids

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from today’s show:

Priscilla Shirer - Priscilla’s ministry, Going Beyond

The Forge - Her latest movie

I Surrender All - Her latest book

Evans Family on Death & Loss

We are finishing our Summer of Stories with Nicole Zasowski. She is a counselor, author and speaker that shares her painful story of infertility and miscarriage. Many of you know too well what it’s like to embrace joy when you’ve walked through so much loss and disappointment. Nicole bravely encourages us all that it’s possible. It’s possible to find joy and practice thanksgiving even when mourning and grief is very present.

Make sure you follow along this week on Pardon The Mess Instagram page. I will share the picture of all of her kids that stopped me in my tracks. The photo was edited to feature her 3 kids on earth and her 5 kids in heaven all walking together on the beach. This photo so beautifully depicted the reality that Nicole is a mom of eight children, not just three. If you have been through loss like Nicole, I believe you will be so encouraged by her honesty about the emotions she feels and her journey with God through it all.

My favorite part is when she shares about the brain science behind negativity and joy. She shares practical ideas on how we can lean towards and practice savoring joyful moments. We can store these memories in a part of our brain that helps us recall them again and again.

Praying for each of you now, that you feel seen and heard through this episode. I pray that God meets you in the tender, broken and disappointed places of your heart.

Much love,

Courtney

In this episode, we chat about:

• Nicole’s journey with infertility and miscarriage
• Leaning into God with all of your emotions
• How sadness can help us find the joy
• How to practically celebrate and savor moments when life is hard

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction and Background

03:48 Struggling with Infertility and Miscarriage

08:09 Feeling Alone and Finding Support

11:35 Journey Between Children

16:01 The Vulnerability of Joy

22:24 Holding Both Pain and Joy

24:17 The Power of Celebration

27:56 Savoring Everyday Moments

30:21 Celebration as a Rhythm

35:40 Engaging God in Joy and Pain

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

Get your 2024-2025 prayer journal, A Life of Faith

Resources from today’s show:

NicoleZasowski.com

Lost to Found

What If It’s Wonderful

NLT Student Thinline Reference Bible

Hope for your Homeschool