MESSmerized - Funny and faith based encouragement in marriage , family , Christian parenting , and finding purpose

Well, I went to A&M last weekend to see Brett and speak to the loveliest group of women, and let me just say: visiting girls in college versus boys is a completely different experience. Completely. Different. More on that on today’s show.
Today’s guest is Kari Kampakis—or the “raising girls whisperer,” as I like to call her. She is so wise, steady, and incredibly helpful when it comes to understanding girls, and I loved getting to go to Birmingham last fall to tape a few shows with her in person at her home. She’s just as darling and thoughtful off the mic as she is on it.
We’re doing two weeks with Kari, and this is week one. In this conversation, we dig into the soft skills that matter more than we often realize—especially perseverance and work ethic—and how those qualities are actually built in the everyday moments of parenting. Kari shares practical, encouraging insight on helping kids take ownership of their effort instead of just their results, and why consistent habits and character formation often matter far more than natural talent in the long run.
Whether you’re raising girls or boys, there is so much wisdom here for every parent. I can’t wait for you to tune in!

All things Cynthia
How’d I Miss That
Is Your Daughter Ready?: 10 Ways to Empower Your Girl for an Age of New Challenges by Kari

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Mary Marantz joins me on MESSmerized today, and this was such a thoughtful, encouraging conversation. We talk about how we both went to law school and ultimately chose paths that didn’t necessarily make sense on paper, but aligned much more with how God wired us. Mary shares about growing up in a single-wide trailer in West Virginia and how that background shaped her grit, her work ethic, and also her tendency to tie achievement to worth.

We spend a lot of time unpacking fear and the ways women quietly underestimate themselves—perfectionism, overthinking, procrastination, and constantly assuming someone else is more qualified or better. One of the biggest takeaways is how easy it is to over-idealize other people’s success while minimizing our own, simply because we see their highlight reel and live inside our own messy middle.

We also talk about procrastination and the deeper fear behind it, the danger of waiting for the “perfect time,” and how often fear doesn’t say “never,” it just says “not yet.” It’s a really honest conversation about comparison, calling, and showing up anyway—even when you don’t feel ready, qualified, or confident—trusting that God can use ordinary obedience more than perfect performance.

Can’t wait for you to listen!

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Mary Marantz’s Achiever Quiz 
Mary’s book: Dirt and Underestimated

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First, THANK YOU. My new book is officially out in the world—woohoo! I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the encouragement, the screenshots, the texts, the DMs, and the stories you’ve already shared. It means more than you know. If you’ve read How’d I Miss That?, I would be so thankful if you’d leave a quick review on Amazon (or wherever you purchased it). Reviews really do help more people find the book, and I’m incredibly grateful for every single one.

Matt Chandler is back on Messmerized today, and we start where all deep spiritual conversations begin: with him attempting to hit a baseball at a “pre-Passion Passion” event in Rangers Stadium—in front of pastors and ministry leaders, which somehow ups the pressure. We relive the moment, compare notes on how ruthless our children are (his son uses brain surgery as debate material), and agree there’s an age where you stop competing with your kids because you already know how it ends. 

From there we pivot to the real Passion—45,000 students worshiping with everything they’ve got—and talk about his new 30-day devotional, Awake and Alive, written for those of us who feel tired, distracted, or spiritually numb and don’t want to stay that way.

We also talk about what it actually looks like to “wake up” in everyday life—especially when you’re disappointed with God or feel yourself drifting. Matt shares two questions he asks himself every quarter that are incredibly clarifying: one reveals what stirs his affection for Jesus, and the other exposes what quietly robs it. We wrap with marriage wisdom from 25 and 27 years in, and why your spouse can be a gift—but never your savior. 

We’ll link Awake and Alive (out now), his upcoming Becoming Like Jesus, and yes—How’d I Miss That? too—because the theme here is simple: don’t drift through what matters.

Awake and Alive
Pre-Order: Becoming Like Jesus
How’d I Miss That
All things Cynthia

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In today's episode, I’m joined by Rob Boyd—my former youth minister and an actual blast from my past. We take a walk down memory lane filled with blue church vans, lock-ins, Bible drills, questionable music debates, and the kind of church memories that are funny now… and formative forever.

Rob shares what it was like pastoring teenagers (including a very opinionated teenage me), why spiritual disciplines don’t have to be complicated (hello, seven minutes), and why faith is more about being than doing. We talk scripture memory, quiet time, raising kids, waiting on God when He feels silent, and how God uses even the awkward church years to shape who we become.

It’s equal parts laughter, nostalgia, and encouragement—especially for parents, former church kids, and anyone who’s ever wondered if the small things really matter.

And if you want the full stories behind today’s conversation, you can order How’d I Miss That? wherever you get your books.

All things Cynthia

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Woohoo! It’s officially the release of How’d I Miss That? TODAY, and we’re dropping this episode on Tuesday instead of our usual Wednesday to celebrate. 

It felt only right to bring on the man who edited every.single.chapter, fixed approximately 9,000 commas, and has final veto power over any story that’s too much—which is really saying something, considering he grew up in locker rooms: Mike Yanof.

We talk marriage—“slow and low” brisket theology, why “spark” is overrated (Mike explains so I don’t get canceled), and why telling your husband all barbecue tastes the same is pretty much a felony. We also swap lists of what spouses should never say if they want to stay married.

Mike also shares about the season he nearly died from meningitis + encephalitis, how that experience reshaped his priorities, and what it taught us about marriage, faith, and trusting God when life is completely out of your control. We talk foster care and adoption too—and how saying yes to something hard changed our family and our understanding of what really matters.

It’s honest, funny, and full of perspective—for marriage, faith, and the ways God shows up in both the moments we pray for and the ones we never saw coming.

Order How’d I Miss That? 
All things Cynthia

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