“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 or instructions!

As Christians, we get to lean on the Holy Spirit and apply his wisdom to every area of our lives from how to treat people, how to spend our time, what activities to participate in, what movies to watch, what relationships to pursue, and how to best use our finances. God cares about every part of our lives and will give us the wisdom to navigate it all in a way that honors him.

This week, let's ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on how to best pray for our kids as they follow God. As our kids see us asking for wisdom, they will learn to do the same! Let's pray that our kids will seek God's wisdom through prayer, other discerning believers, and scripture.

Lord, I pray that _________ would be quick to turn to you for wisdom whenever they need to make a decision, need comfort, or feel confused. In every area of their lives, I pray they depend on you. May they develop a hunger for wisdom and insight from you. May they always have the humility to know that your ways are better than their ways and that you want them to ask for help and guidance. Amen.

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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 her wisdom.

It can be really tricky to walk through your own junk and past while raising your own kids. She gives very specific ways we can face our own struggles during your years as a mom. I am praying Melanie’s courage rubs off on all of us and we face some of our hardest moments and gain strength through that process.

My favorite part is when Melanie talks about what she needed from her mom including stability and an environment where she could be herself. This really motivated me to think about how often I critique and pick at my girls. They need a home where they can be themselves without changing anything about them.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to recognize mean girl behavior
• When to step in when your girl is being bullied
• How to heal from past wounds as a mom
• Parenting differently than your own mom

Praying for you all as you process through your mom wounds and mean girl moments. God will meet you there! Let him heal the hurting places of your heart.

Much love,

Courtney

(00:00) Puppy Love and Life with Dogs

(06:00) Hard No's: Navigating Everyday Annoyances

(12:01) Skincare Secrets: Affordable Beauty Tips

(17:55) Mean Girls: Navigating Childhood Friendships

(23:28) The Importance of Emotional Safety

(29:35) Healing from Past Wounds

(37:32) The Struggle as a Path to Strength

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:

The Unbreakable Boy movie

Connect with Melanie

Here Be Dragons - Melanie’s new book

American Eagle - sweat pant

Eminence Vitamin C

Extreme cream

Elastic skin

Melanie’s Amazon Shop

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

“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 explain why certain rules exist and how to act in social situations. We correct. We talk. We talk some more. We lose our cool. We say sorry. We hug. We discipline our kids.

Because the Lord loves us and wants what’s best for us, he is constantly changing us and conforming us into the image of Christ through spiritual discipline because he wants us to become more and more like Jesus. God’s discipline is not meant to hurt us, it is never out of anger, and it’s not about perfect behavior; it is to protect us and grow our relationship with him. The Lord’s discipline is not to punish us, it is to transform us. Understanding this requires spiritual maturity in our kids that they will gain as they follow Jesus through their lives.

So let’s pray that our kids will grow to see that God’s discipline in their lives is a wonderful part of following him—it means he is taking an active part in growing them to be more and more like him for his good purpose.

Father God, you are a good father who loves your children. Thank you for calling ________ your child. Help them to see you as a father who disciplines out of love and care, not out of anger and rules. You want what's best for your kids and you know how much sin hurts us, help them to experience the peace that comes from confession and forgiveness! Amen.

Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org