What a thrill to interview my oldest daughter and one of her very best friends. Ella and Landry have been friends since 3rd grade and it’s so special to hear from two young women that are keeping their faith a priority in college. I ask them about their “favorites” from tennis shoes to rom-coms and then we get into some more serious topics.

My favorite moment is when I ask each of them, “What is God teaching you right now?” I was blown away by their answers and also felt so thankful that they are both engaged in their college church communities. Ask your kiddos that question this Christmas break and let them share about their faith. I am always astounded when I learn how much depth and wisdom is in these teens. They are wiser than you know.

You also don’t want to miss my opening story about an “elf on the shelf” adventure gone wrong. I am still feeling a little rattled from it.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions

07:05 High School Experiences and Advice

10:02 Navigating Junior Year Challenges

14:54 Senior Year Reflections and Relationships

18:26 Maintaining Faith in High School

23:35 Parental Guidance and Support

25:37 Navigating High School Dynamics

26:56 Understanding Teen Communication

28:04 The High School Experience: Challenges and Growth

30:51 Transitioning to College Life

33:35 Building Friendships in College

37:48 Spiritual Growth and Lessons Learned

43:18 Legacy of Love: Lessons from Grandmothers

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW

Resources from today’s show:

Ella’s new sneakers - Back 70

Yahtzee Game

Nertz Game

Quiplash (on Apple TV)

New Morning Mercies devotional

But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command. (1 Samuel 13:14)

You may remember David for being a king or for beating Goliath in an epic battle. David’s story is one of those Bible stories that inspires us to face with courage whatever God lays before us. However, one of the noteworthy moments in David’s story was when God said that he was “a man after God’s own heart.” David was far from perfect. He was a shepherd turned king. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged her husband’s death. He messed up again and again, however we can see in the Psalms that David had a deep love for God and a willingness to repent, and that he met with God often. When he sinned, he didn’t hide; he repented and turned back to God because his relationship with God mattered most and he wanted to be aligned with him.

It’s encouraging to note that God chose David to lead because of his pure desires for God, not because he was the best behaved, most talented, or most skilled in the world’s terms.

What does that mean for us? We are all called to follow Jesus, and that means we are to live in harmony with what God’s heart desires for his people. As our kids grow up, it can be easy for them to follow their own hearts or what others want. But we can encourage them to make decisions and lead others based on God’s desires, not earthly desires, and that is hard!

Let’s pray that our kids are known as people after God’s own heart and that each of our children reflects the heart of God in their schools, communities and friend circles.

Father, please help __________ to desire what you desire. Lead them to live in a way that’s pleasing to you. I pray they know your heart more and more each year. Give them a heart like David’s, one that seeks you above all else and makes time to meet with you day after day. Amen.

If you love this episode and don’t have your copy of A Great Cloud of Witnesses yet, it’s not too late to get yours! Go ChristianParenting.org to get your copy and follow along. And don’t forget to tune in to Pardon the Mess every Monday for more prayer episodes.

Order A Great Cloud of Witnesses today

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

I have a new bucket list item: I want to go to Uganda and meet Josh’s mom! What a woman. Josh Poro is a pastor and father from Uganda that has been living here in my town of Colleyville for the last 7 years. I was curious to chat with him about what “parenting” looks like in Uganda vs America.

Sometimes, I need to shake things up in my life and get out of the bubble I am living in. I like to listen to unique podcasts or watch compelling documentaries to expand my mind. This is the purpose of this episode. I wanted Josh to shake up our Western view of Christianity and parenting in a way that challenges us.

My favorite part is when he talks about the power of prayer. He challenges us in America to pray longer and bolder. And to keep praying for our children again and again. If you’d like to see more of Josh’s sermons - visit his YouTube channel (Kingdom INSights Ministries - Apostle Joshua Poro).

Enjoy!

Courtney

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction to Josh Poro's Journey

(02:57) Life in Uganda: Culture and Challenges

(05:59) Journey to the US: Asylum and New Beginnings

(08:57) The Importance of Prayer in Family Life

(12:01) Cultural Differences in Prayer Practices

(14:57) Teaching Children About Faith and Prayer

(18:01) The Role of Mothers in Spiritual Upbringing

(30:01) Cultural Perspectives on Parenting

(32:55) Empowering Children for Independence

(36:04) The Power of Prayer in Parenting

(44:23) Parenting as a Ministry

Connect with Pardon The Mess:

Christian Parenting

Pardon The Mess

Courtney DeFeo

ORDER YOUR 2026-2027 PRAYER JOURNAL NOW

Resources from today’s show:

Connect with Josh

Josh’s youtube page - Kingdom INSights Ministries - Apostle Joshua Poro

Sign up to volunteer at Josh’s new church

NIV Application Bible

Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube!

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