Christian Parenting.

Christian Parenting.

Hey friends, welcome back to Pardon the Mess.

I'm your host, Courtney Defeo, and it's week 27, and we're talking about one of my favorite miracles and favorite topics, generosity. We're talking about the boy with the fish. But before we do that, if you follow me on social media, you may have seen this story, but y'all, I am like mortified. So it's very like me to start a million things and then forget passwords and not know what I'm doing. But over the

years, I've had several versions of my website. First was if you're an old school fan, you know, it was a little out of mine, and then it was Courtney Defeo.com, and I've had all kinds of crazy things. But every time I feel like I'm working with a website person, they set up a new email address. It's like, okay, when they respond to this thing, we'll have it go to info at Courtney DeFaio.com.

And then this one will go to Courtney at Courtney DeFaero. person, they set up a new email address. It's like, okay, when they respond to this thing, we'll

have it go to info at Courtney DeFaio.com. And then this one will go to Courtney at Courtneytefeo.com. Well, sort of forgot about that address, info at Courtney DeFaio.com. So I went on a, because I just redid my website, I went on like a deep dive the other day to find that inbox because normally I would just forward everything to my Gmail so it's all coming into one thing. But I went and found

that inbox and normally I would just forward everything to my

Gmail so it's all coming into one thing. But I went and found that inbox and y'all some of your

messages were in there back to like 2016. So imagine you saw me speak or something about my first book

and then you have the courage to be like, you know what? I'm going to email her and tell her what I

thought about that or what God's pressed on my heart. And they're so tender and kind. There were

multiple invitations to come speak at your church. And y'all, I did not see any of them until a decade

later. So I don't know what was happening in 2016 where I started this email and then left it out

there hanging. But y'all, I am so sorry because I'm not a big deal. Like there's people that have like millions and millions of followers and there's no way they're going to get back to everybody. But I try to really respond. It's important to me. And I know that it's frustrated me over times and I've had something really tender to say to someone that feels like a celebrity and then I email them and you get nothing. You're like, well, I feel dumb now. But anyway, y'all, if you were one of those people like Wendy, Darlene, Lauren, there's so many in there. And I tried to respond to them and said, hey, hey, it's been a decade mortified, just now getting back on your response. And some of them would get kicked back because it's like, yeah, that person's gone from their job. Of course they are. It's been a decade. And then some of you responded like, I cannot believe you're actually responding to this. I even forgot about it. So funny story, total Courtney story, totally on brand for me, which is just really embarrassing. But what's also on brand

for me, I hope you see how I did that transition, is generosity. It's one of my favorite things about

walking with Jesus is the ability to love others and give to others with just this abandon,

with this trust that Jesus has got it. And that can be kind of hard for me. Like when we learn about this story of the boy with the fish, basically it's one of those miracles that it's talked about a lot. And if you don't know about it, go in the New Testament and read about it. But basically, Jesus feeds 5,000 people from five loves of bread and two fish. And there's a little boy in the story that just brings what he has to Jesus and gives no matter what he has, even though it feels small to him to say, like, I can help. Here's what I've got. And God uses that little bitty amount to bless and feed thousands of people. Now think about 5,000. When's the last time you've been to a megachurch or a concert? And if you're like, I got to feed this many people, I would have

been freaking out. And I love to host at my house. I want to have all the kids over. But I also like to know what's coming. Like, are there three kids coming? Are there 20? Are there 50? But imagine that kind of trust in the Lord just to say, like, this feels really big, not just practically feeding people, but you're asking me to do something

that is beyond what I can do. And this is all I have. And so this is a great thing to pray for our kids

today and just be reminded that God wants, he's not really comparing us that, oh, Susan down the

street gave me all that and you gave me just this. He wants our hearts and he wants our kids

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