"Bless This Mess" with Rev. Molly Baskette and Ellen O’Donnell

In this episode of Mess Makes Meaning, hosts Joy and Raenelle welcome back pastor and author Meredith Miller to discuss her newest book, Wonder: 52 Conversations to Help Kids Fall in Love with Scripture. Together, they explore what it means to nurture children’s spirituality through presence, storytelling, and curiosity. Meredith invites parents and caregivers to shift from being “experts” in faith to becoming guides who walk alongside their children. Rather than striving for perfect answers, she encourages adults to meet children’s questions and doubts with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to wonder together. Throughout the conversation, Meredith highlights the power of God-centered storytelling as a way to help children engage with Scripture, including the more complex and difficult narratives found within the Bible. By creating space for honest reflection and shared exploration, families can build deeper trust and connection in their spiritual conversations. This episode offers practical encouragement for parents and caregivers who want to support their children’s spiritual journeys in meaningful and life-giving ways. Join us as we explore how curiosity, presence, and storytelling can help children fall in love with Scripture and discover a faith that grows with them.

In this episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we explore the Christian holidays and the rich, complex histories behind them with author Laura Alary. Together, we look at how church traditions have developed over time and how understanding their origins can help us engage more thoughtfully with the stories we’ve been told. From the rhythms of the summer and winter solstices to familiar questions like “Why are there Easter bunnies?” we reflect on how cultural symbols and seasonal celebrations have shaped the way we mark sacred time. These are the kinds of wonderings children naturally bring to us, and this conversation offers helpful context and language for responding with honesty, curiosity, and care. Laura Alary invites us to see these questions not as distractions, but as meaningful entry points into deeper learning and connection. By understanding where traditions come from, we are better equipped to walk alongside children as they explore faith, history, and meaning in the world around them. Join us as we make space for curiosity, history, and wonder, and consider how we can respond to children’s questions in ways that nurture both understanding and imagination.