Welcome to Pardon the Mess. I'm Courtney DeFaio, your host, and I'm so glad you're joining us.

Whether this is your first time tuning in or if you've been with us for a while, you're in the right place if you're looking for encouragement and real talk on the journey of Christian parenting.

And if you're a fan of the show, feel free to share

this episode to introduce your friends to our part of the mess community. It's a growing family of

listeners, and together we've had millions of downloads and shared hundreds of meaningful

conversations. Here's a little bit about me. I'm a mom of two teenage girls who keep me

laughing and on my toes every day. With one of them about to

head to college, there may be some emotional moments here, so you have to bear with me. I've been

married for 21 years to my wonderful husband Ron, who's truly the rock of our family. He's hilarious,

smart, and kind, and a big reason that our family works so well. We're originally from Atlanta,

lived in Orlando for a while,

and now we've been in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for about a decade. On this podcast, we're

truly about the real stuff. On Mondays, we kick off the week with prayer, focusing on specific

ways to pray for our kids. These short and simple episodes are some of my favorite ways to pray

intentionally for my kids,

and I really hope they encourage you too.

Thursdays bring longer episodes where I interview incredible guests from pastors to authors to moms

who share wisdom and humor as we navigate the journey together.

My goal is to give you super practical ideas, encouragement, and spiritual insights to love and lead your

family well. I learn every week through every interview. One of the verses that really shaped

my approach to parenting, and I hope this is encouragement to you today, is Deuteronomy 6, 5 through

7, which encourages us to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and strength, and to impress

...