Messy Families, Faithful God

Weekly real-life family messes meet timeless biblical wisdom—practical tools, faith-filled steps, and hope for marriage, parenting, and home life.

Messy story of the week Linda has been thinking a lot since the last conversation. Not about what James said, but about what she does when things feel uncertain. How she tightens her grip. How she manages outcomes. How she stays busy so she doesn’t have to feel how vulnerable love can be. It...

Feb 22, 2026 1 corinthians 13 christian marriage growth emotional maturity healing relationships letting go patterns spiritual formation

Issue #26 - Love Is Not Reactive

Messy story of the week James didn’t wake up planning to be sharp. But by mid-morning, the tone in the house had shifted. A comment from Linda landed sideways. A reminder felt like criticism. Before he realized it, his responses were clipped, defensive, and just a little louder than necessar...

Feb 15, 2026 1 corinthians 13 christian marriage help christian parenting support conflict and faith emotional reactivity patience in marriage

Issue #25 - Love Is Not Impressive

Messy story of the week Linda is exhausted, but not in a dramatic way. She’s the one who remembers permission slips, keeps track of who needs what, notices when someone’s tone has shifted, and makes sure everyone gets to church mostly on time. She prays. She tries to respond thoughtfully ins...

Feb 08, 2026 1 corinthians 13 christian discipleship christian marriage christian parenting faith and family marriage formation spiritual growth

Issue #24 - The Father Comes Out to You Too

Messy Story of the Week Amber stood in the laundry room staring at the mud-caked shoes on the mat like they were Exhibit A in a trial. Her youngest had tracked half the backyard through the house. Her husband had promised he’d mop. He hadn’t. And in the middle of her frustration, her phone buzzed...

Feb 01, 2026 biblical encouragement christian marriage christian parenting family discipleship forgiveness healing from shame identity in christ john 21 luke 15 marriage mayhem and mercy marriage restoration mercy of god peter restored prodigal son resentment suffering and faith

Issue #23 - Drift, Collapse, and the God Who Runs Toward Us

Messy Story of the Week She didn’t stop believing in God. She just stopped talking to Him. Life filled up. Marriage stress. Kids. Work. Even church became something she attended more than something she engaged in. There was no rebellion, no dramatic moment, no slammed door. Just a quiet distanc...

Jan 25, 2026 biblical restoration christian coaching christian marriage christian parenting emotional healing faith faith and family marriage marriage and faith marriage mayhem and mercy marriage struggles peter denial prodigal son restoration spiritual drift

Issue #22 - God in the Eternal Now: Healing the Past, Anchoring the Future

God in the Eternal Now: Healing the Past, Anchoring the Future Messy Story of the Week She was stuck in the middle of the night again. Her body was exhausted, but her mind was busy replaying scenes she wished she could edit. Things she said. Things she didn’t say. Moments where she should have kn...

Jan 18, 2026 biblical restoration christian anxiety christian emotional healing faith and time god’s faithfulness god’s presence healing from trauma inner healing spiritual wholeness

Issue #21 - Faith Passed Down: Breaking Cycles, Receiving Blessing

Messy Story of the Week She swore she wouldn’t say it that way. The words came out anyway. Sharp. Familiar. The exact tone she remembered from her own childhood.She watched her child’s shoulders tense and felt the drop in her stomach before the sentence was even finished. Later that night, afte...

Jan 11, 2026 biblical generational healing breaking cycles christian marriage christian parenting discipleship faith and family faith legacy generational patterns healing family patterns spiritual formation

Issue #20 - Incarnate Presence: When Being There Isn’t Enough

Messy story of the week Saturday morning looked calm on the surface. Everyone was home. Coffee was brewing. The kids were in the living room. He sat on the couch scrolling while the TV murmured in the background. From the outside, it looked like a family at rest. But beneath the quiet, something ...

Jan 04, 2026 christian home christian marriage christian parenting emotional connection emotional presence faith and family family discipleship husbands and fathers incarnational leadership marriage encouragement

Issue #19 - When Love Comes Close: Learning Presence from the Incarnation

Messy story of the week James sat in the driveway a little longer than usual, engine off, scrolling his phone while the car cooled. Through the living room window, he saw toys scattered, the lamp glowing, and the shadow of his wife moving back and forth. He already knew the scene waiting inside: ...

Dec 28, 2025

When Guilt Is Really Pride: Receiving the Mercy You Need

MESSY STORY “The Mistake That Wouldn’t Let Go” Caroline had always been the steady one — the reliable friend, the organized mom, the woman who never raised her voice, never missed a deadline, never crossed a line. People admired her. Some even quietly envied her. She didn’t think of herself as pr...

Dec 21, 2025 advent advent devotional christian encouragement christian marriage christian mercy christian parenting emotional healing forgiveness gospel identity isaiah 53 mary’s surrender pride repentance self-forgiveness spiritual growth surrender

Issue #17 - “The Acceptance Letter” — A Modern Story of Costly Surrender

Messy Story of the Week Daniel and his wife, Hope, had spent years building toward one dream: for Daniel to become a police officer. It wasn’t just a career goal. It felt like a calling — a way to serve, protect, and make a difference in the world. They had planned their life around it: late-nigh...

Dec 14, 2025 advent advent devotional calling christian encouragement christian marriage christian newsletter christian parenting emotional health faith and family mary’s surrender messy families faithful god obedience spiritual formation surrender trust god

When the Silence Breaks and Healing Can Begin

Messy Story of the Week She listened to the Marriage, Mayhem & Mercy podcast because something in her marriage hadn’t felt right for months. Not catastrophic — just off.A distance she couldn’t name.A tension she couldn’t explain.A kind of emotional fog that made her wonder if she was imagining th...

Dec 07, 2025 betrayal trauma christian discipleship christian marriage christian podcast emotional discipleship faithful families luke 1 mary’s praise marriage coaching porn addiction recovery rebuilding trust

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